Final answer:
To calculate the surface area of the current-sized box, we need to find the surface area of each side and then add them up. Each ream of paper has dimensions of 8.5 inches by 11 inches by 2 inches. The surface area of the current-sized box is approximately 1,287 square inches.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the surface area of the box, we need to find the surface area of each side and then add them up. Each ream of paper has dimensions of 8.5 inches by 11 inches by 2 inches. The box has three stacks of four reams, so there are three sides with dimensions of 8.5 inches by 22 inches, and three sides with dimensions of 11 inches by 22 inches.
The surface area of each side is found by multiplying the length by the width. For the sides with dimensions 8.5 inches by 22 inches, the surface area is 8.5 * 22 = 187 square inches. For the sides with dimensions 11 inches by 22 inches, the surface area is 11 * 22 = 242 square inches.
Adding up the surface area of all six sides, we get 3 * 187 + 3 * 242 = 561 + 726 = 1287 square inches. Therefore, the surface area of the current-sized box is approximately 1,287 square inches.