Ace the AFOQT 2026 – Skyrocket Your Air Force Dreams!

The formula for the surface area of a cylinder is indeed 2πrh + 2πr². This formula accounts for both the lateral surface area and the area of the two circular bases of the cylinder.

The term 2πrh represents the lateral surface area, which is the area of the side of the cylinder. It is derived from the circumference of the base (2πr) multiplied by the height (h) of the cylinder.

The term 2πr² represents the area of the two circular bases. Since there are two bases in a cylinder, the area of a single base is πr², so for both bases, it is 2πr².

Together, these two components provide the total surface area of the cylinder, making this the correct choice.