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Surface Area and Volume of Prisms and Cylinders

5 min readGrade 8 · Measurement

Surface area and volume are two different measurements of the same object. Students extend earlier prism work to cylinders, where πr² appears in both the base area and surface area formulas. Real problems — how much cardboard for a can? how much water does it hold? — make the distinction meaningful and memorable.

What students explore

Surface area and volume are two different measurements of the same object. Students extend earlier prism work to cylinders, where πr² appears in both the base area and surface area formulas. Real problems — how much cardboard for a can? how much water does it hold? — make the distinction meaningful and memorable.

Key ideas

Calculate the surface area of rectangular and triangular prisms and cylinders. Calculate the volume of prisms and cylinders. Solve problems involving packaging, capacity, and material costs. Distinguish and relate surface area and volume in real contexts.

Putting it together

Apply these ideas through worked examples, guided practice, and real-world problems.

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