The formula for the surface area of a cube with side length s is SA = 6s².Problem:Find the surface area of a cube with a side length of 3 inches.

Step 1: 
Identify the formula for the surface area of a cube: 
\[SA = 6s^ 2\]

Step 2: 
Substitute the given side length \(s = 3\) inches into the formula: 
\[SA = 6 \times ( 3) ^ 2\]

Step 3: 
Calculate the square of the side length: 
\[3^ 2 = 9\]

Step 4: 
Multiply by 6 to find the surface area: 
\[SA = 6 \times 9 = 54\] 

Supplemental Knowledge:

The surface area of a cube is a fundamental concept in geometry. A cube has six identical square faces, and the formula for calculating its surface area is derived from this property. The formula for the surface area (\(SA\)) of a cube with side length \(s\) is:

\[SA = 6s^ 2\]

This formula works because each face of the cube has an area of \(s^ 2\), and there are six faces in total.

Concepts to Actions:

Learning how to calculate the surface area of a cube is invaluable in many real-life applications.
Imagine yourself as someone responsible for wrapping gifts during a holiday season: knowing how to calculate surface area allows you to quickly determine how much wrapping paper will be necessary without wastefully using resources. If each box is cuboid in shape, quickly determine how much paper to buy according to its dimensions.

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