1. **State the problem:** We need to find the surface area of a rectangular prism with dimensions 2.3 yd (height), 9.5 yd (length), and 1.7 yd (width). 2. **Formula for surface area of a rectangular prism:** $$\text{Surface Area} = 2(lw + lh + wh)$$ where $l$ is length, $w$ is width, and $h$ is height. 3. **Substitute the given values:** $$l = 9.5, \quad w = 1.7, \quad h = 2.3$$ 4. **Calculate each product:** $$lw = 9.5 \times 1.7 = 16.15$$ $$lh = 9.5 \times 2.3 = 21.85$$ $$wh = 1.7 \times 2.3 = 3.91$$ 5. **Sum the products:** $$16.15 + 21.85 + 3.91 = 41.91$$ 6. **Multiply by 2:** $$2 \times 41.91 = 83.82$$ 7. **Final answer:** The surface area is **83.82 square yards**.