Final answer:
To calculate the surface area of a composite figure, find the areas of the individual shapes and add them together.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the surface area of a composite figure, you need to find the areas of all its individual components and then add them together.
- Separate the composite figure into its different shapes.
- Calculate the surface area of each shape using the appropriate formula (e.g., area of a rectangle, area of a circle).
- Add up the surface areas of all the shapes to find the total surface area of the composite figure.
For example, if the composite figure is made up of a rectangular prism and a cylinder, you would calculate the surface area of the rectangular prism using the formula 2lw + 2lh + 2wh, and the surface area of the cylinder using the formula 2πr² + 2πrh. Then, you would add these two surface areas to find the total surface area of the composite figure.