Final answer:
The surface area is a measure of the total area that covers the outside of a three-dimensional object. It is found by adding up the areas of all the faces or surfaces of the object.
Step-by-step explanation:
The surface area is a measure of the total area that covers the outside of a three-dimensional object. It is the sum of all the areas of the faces or surfaces of the object. For example, in the case of a cube, the surface area is found by adding up the areas of all six faces of the cube. In the case of a sphere, the surface area is found by multiplying the square of the radius by 4π.