What Is the Surface Area of a Cube?
A cube is a three-dimensional solid bounded by six identical square faces. The surface area is the total area of all six faces combined. Because every face is a square with side length equal to the cube's edge, the surface area depends only on that single measurement.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter the edge length (s) of your cube in any unit you like — meters, centimeters, inches, feet. The calculator instantly returns the total surface area in square units, the area of a single face, and the volume in cubic units. Keep your unit consistent: if you enter centimeters, the surface area is in square centimeters.
The Formula Explained
The surface area formula is $$SA = 6s^{2}$$. Each face of a cube is a square of area \(s \times s = s^{2}\). Since a cube has six congruent faces, you multiply the area of one face by 6. The volume of the same cube is \(V = s^{3}\).
Worked Example
Suppose a cube has an edge length of 5 units. The area of one face is \(5 \times 5 = 25\) square units. Multiplying by the six faces gives $$SA = 6 \times 25 = 150$$ square units. The volume would be \(5^{3} = 125\) cubic units.
FAQ
What units does the result use? Whatever unit you enter for the edge, squared. Enter inches and you get square inches.
Does this work for a rectangular box? No. This calculator assumes all edges are equal (a true cube). A rectangular box (cuboid) uses \(SA = 2(lw + lh + wh)\).
How do I find the edge length from the surface area? Rearrange the formula: \(s = \sqrt{SA \div 6}\).
