Six equal faces
A cube has six equal square faces, so total surface area is six times the area of one face.
Example
If the side length is 5, one face has an area of 25. The total surface area is 6 x 25 = 150 square units, and the volume is 5 x 5 x 5 = 125 cubic units.
When to use surface area
Use surface area when estimating wrapping, paint, coating or exposed material. Use volume when estimating capacity or space inside a cube-shaped object.
Common mistakes
Surface area uses square units, while volume uses cubic units. Also make sure all side measurements use the same unit before calculating.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-17