Final answer:
The total surface area of the glass fish tank for the sides and the bottom is calculated to be 3296 square inches, adding up the areas of each individual side and the bottom.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking to calculate the surface area of the sides and the bottom of a glass fish tank using the given dimensions. To find the total surface area, calculate the area of each individual side and the bottom, then sum them up.
- The front and back (length × height): 2 × (46 in × 18 in) = 2 × 828 in² = 1656 in²
- The left and right sides (width × height): 2 × (20 in × 18 in) = 2 × 360 in² = 720 in²
- The bottom (length × width): 1 × (46 in × 20 in) = 920 in²
Now, add the areas: 1656 in² + 720 in² + 920 in² = 3296 in².
Therefore, the fish tank uses a total of 3296 square inches of glass for the sides and bottom.