Year 8 - Maths
Surface area of cuboids
Perimeter, area and volume
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils extend their knowledge of shapes by exploring the properties of circles and composite shapes before developing understanding of 3-D shapes including surface area and volume.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to appreciate the concept of surface area and find the surface area of cuboids.
Key Notes
- The surface area of a 3D shape is the sum of the area of all the faces.
- The net of a cuboid can help find the surface area.
- The surface area of a cuboid can be found without drawing the net.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Surface area: the total area of all the surfaces of a closed 3D shape. The surfaces include all faces and any curved surfaces.
- Net: The net of a 3D object is a 2D representation of its surfaces that can be folded up into the 3D object.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Any arrangement of 6 square-faces will result in the net of a cube.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Solve this in steps: explain the method from this lesson and why each step matters.
The surface area of a 3D shape is the sum of the area of all the faces. The net of a cuboid can help find the surface area.
2. Use this key word in a maths sentence and explain it clearly. 'Surface area'
the total area of all the surfaces of a closed 3D shape. The surfaces include all faces and any curved surfaces. Use this word when showing your method, then check your final answer is reasonable.
3. Spot and fix this common maths mistake.
Mistake: Any arrangement of 6 square-faces will result in the net of a cube. Correction: Some arrangements of 6 squares will result in some of them overlapping when the shape is folded into 3D, resulting in an incomplete cube.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Area of a circle Study Guide
- Area of composite shapes Study Guide
- Checking understanding of area Study Guide
- Checking understanding of perimeter Study Guide
- Circumference of a circle Study Guide
- Finding a length in composite shapes Study Guide
- Multiplicative relationships in circles Study Guide
- Perimeter of composite shapes Study Guide
- Problem solving with perimeter, area and volume Study Guide
- Properties of prisms Study Guide
- Surface area of cylinders Study Guide
- Surface area of prisms Study Guide
- Using the formula for the area of a circle Study Guide
- Volume of cylinders Study Guide
- Volume of prisms Study Guide
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