Which has the smallest surface area?

This picture shows a rectangular prism made from 36 cubes.
How many different rectangular prisms can you make from 36 cubes?
Do they all have the same volume? Why or why not?

Do they all have the same surface area? Why or why not?
Take the area of each face of the cube as one square unit.
Find the surface area of all the rectangular prisms that can be made using 36 small cubes.
You will have to work systematically and take note of your results.
Which one has the smallest surface area?

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