The surface area $A$ of a cube can be calculated using the formula:

$A = 6 \times \text{side}^2$

For a cube with a side length of 9 cm:

$A = 6 \times (9)^2 = 6 \times 81 = 486 \, \text{cm}^2$

So, the total surface area of the cube is 486 cm².

Would you like more details or further clarifications on this topic?

Here are some related questions you might find interesting:

1. How do you calculate the volume of a cube?
2. What is the difference between the surface area of a cube and a rectangular prism?
3. How can the surface area of a sphere be calculated?
4. What are the units typically used for surface area measurements?
5. How would the surface area change if the side length of the cube was doubled?

Tip: Always square the side length when calculating surface area or area-related measurements.