1. The problem asks for the lateral area of a cube with side length 3 cm. 2. The lateral area of a cube is the sum of the areas of the four vertical faces (excluding the top and bottom). 3. Each face of the cube is a square with side length $3$ cm. 4. The area of one face is given by the formula: $$\text{Area} = \text{side}^2 = 3^2 = 9 \text{ cm}^2$$ 5. Since there are 4 lateral faces, the total lateral area is: $$\text{Lateral Area} = 4 \times 9 = 36 \text{ cm}^2$$ 6. Therefore, the lateral area of the cube is $36.00 \text{ cm}^2$ (two decimal places as requested).