# Math Help - TSA

1. ## TSA

How is it calculated?

2. Originally Posted by angelmt
How is it calculated?
What is "TSA"? If you're referring to "total surface area", the methods involved will vary with the information provided.

3. ## TSA

Yes, I was referring to the Total Surface Area of a cube. What's the difference between that and the volume? For example if a cube is 10 cm, how are the volume and the TSA calculated?

4. Originally Posted by angelmt
Yes, I was referring to the Total Surface Area of a cube. What's the difference between that and the volume? For example if a cube is 10 cm, how are the volume and the TSA calculated?
The Total Surface Area of a shape is the area of its "outer wrapping". This area is measured in squares.

The Volume of a shape is how much "stuff" you can fit inside it. This "stuff" is measured in cubes.

Notice that a cube has 6 faces.

If a cube is 10cm in length (?) then...

The area of one face is $10^2\textrm{cm}^2 = 100\textrm{cm}^2$, therefore the total surface area is $6\times 100\textrm{cm}^2 = 600\textrm{cm}^2$.

Since ten centimetre squares can fit along the length and ten centimetre squares can fit along the width, and ten layers can be stacked, the volume is $10^3\textrm{cm}^3 = 1000\textrm{cm}^3$.