Answer:
[tex]25 in^2[/tex]
Step-by-step explanation:
We want to find the lateral surface area of the cube.
The lateral surface area of a cube is given as:
[tex]A = 4a^2[/tex]
where a = length of side of the cube
Therefore, given that the length of the side of the cube is 2.5 inches, the area you need to paint is:
[tex]A = 4 * 2.5^2\\A = 25 in^2[/tex]