Geometry
Lateral surface area
Only the four upright faces, leaving the top and bottom uncovered.
The Formula
A lateral = 4 x s^2
Only the four upright faces, leaving the top and bottom uncovered.
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A lateral | Lateral area | square units | Area of the four vertical faces. |
| s | Edge length | units | Length of one edge of the cube. |
What Each Symbol Means
A lateralsquare units
Lateral area
Area of the four vertical faces.
sunits
Edge length
Length of one edge of the cube.
See It Worked With Real Numbers
A formula on its own does not tell you which number goes where. The how to calculate the surface area of a cube page applies this equation to a concrete case, shows every intermediate step, and names the mistakes that produce a wrong answer even when the algebra is right.
Where This Formula Appears
This equation is the working core of How To Calculate The Surface Area Of A Cube, filed under Math. Every number the guide produces comes from substituting into this one line.