Question

You need to buy insulation to cover the inside of a shipping container. The container is a rectangular prism that is 15 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 7 feet high. How much insulation do you need to buy if you want to insulate all the inside surfaces of the shipping container except the floor?

Answer 1

442 ft²

Explanation:

The amount of insulation needed is the amount that covers the area of the side walls and the ceiling. The area of the side walls is the product of the perimeter and height. The area of the ceiling is the product of length and width.

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Lateral area = Ph = 2(L+W)h = 2(15 ft +8 ft)(7 ft) = 322 ft²

Ceiling area = LW = (15 ft)(8 ft) = 120 ft²

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Insulation needed = lateral area + ceiling area = 322 ft² +120 ft²

Insulation needed = 442 ft²