1. **Problem statement:** Calculate the surface area of a cylinder. 2. **Formula:** The total surface area $A$ of a cylinder is given by $$A = 2\pi r^2 + 2\pi r h$$ where $r$ is the radius of the base and $h$ is the height of the cylinder. 3. **Explanation:** - The term $2\pi r^2$ represents the area of the two circular bases (top and bottom). - The term $2\pi r h$ represents the area of the curved surface (side) of the cylinder. 4. **Steps to calculate:** - Measure or obtain the radius $r$ of the cylinder's base. - Measure or obtain the height $h$ of the cylinder. - Substitute these values into the formula. - Calculate each term separately and then add them to get the total surface area. 5. **Example:** If $r=3$ and $h=5$, then $$A = 2\pi (3)^2 + 2\pi (3)(5) = 2\pi \times 9 + 2\pi \times 15 = 18\pi + 30\pi = 48\pi$$ 6. **Final answer:** The surface area is $48\pi$ square units.