Module 4
1. Module 4
1.18. Lesson 4
Module 4: Area
Lesson 4: Surface Area—Prisms
Focus
© Franck Boston/shutterstock
If you are modifying a product as part of your Unit 2 Project, one consideration may be the size of the container in which your product will be shipped to customers.
The cost of cardboard to manufacture containers like those pictured in the photograph depends on the containers’ total surface area. In this lesson you will investigate the surface area of three-dimensional objects with sides that involve common shapes, such as rectangles, parallelograms, and triangles. A rectangular shipping container is just one example.
Surface area is also an important consideration in renovations, construction, and decorating. Wallpaper, paint, sheet metal, wallboard, and insulation are just a few of many items in which surface area impacts cost.
Lesson Questions
In this lesson you will explore these questions:
- How are nets used as a strategy for finding the surface area of 3-D objects?
- How are formulas for the surface area of 3-D objects developed through examining nets?
Assessment
You will complete the Lesson 4 Assignment Booklet for assessment. Download the Lesson 4 Assignment Booklet and save it in your course folder now. You will receive instructions on how to complete the Assignment Booklet later in the lesson. You will also be prompted to start working on the Unit 2 Project.
Remember to save all activities, including those that are not part of the Assignment, in your course folder.
Required Materials and Equipment
For this lesson you will need
- four sheets of 0.5-cm or quarter-inch grid paper
- scissors
- tape
- a calculator