Question

How is the process of finding the surface area of a rectangular prism the same as finding the surface area of a triangular prism? How is it different?

ANSWER:
For both prisms, you can draw a net to help you find the areas of the faces. Add the areas together to find the surface area. A rectangular prism has only rectangular faces, and you use the formula bh to find area. A triangular prism has triangular and rectangular faces, and you use the area formula bh for rectangular faces and the area formula 1/2bh for triangular faces.

Answer 1

for PLATO users

Explanation:

The area of the face of the rectangular prism as determined above is 7x2 − 7x + 3.

Area = length x depth

Length = area ÷ depth

Therefore, the length is (7x2 − 7x +3) ÷ (x + 4)

Using synthetic division, the coefficients of the polynomial are 7, −7, 3, and k = −4.

− 4

7

− 7

3

− 28

140

7

− 35

143

Therefore, the length of the rectangular prism is given by . 7x-35+143/x+4