Step 1 :Given a cabinet with dimensions length (l) = 2 feet, width (w) = 3 feet, and height (h) = 6 feet. The entire outside surface of the cabinet is being painted except for the bottom.
Step 2 :The surface area of a rectangular prism is given by the formula \(2lw + 2lh + 2wh\), where l is the length, w is the width, and h is the height.
Step 3 :However, since the bottom of the cabinet is not being painted, we need to subtract the area of the bottom (lw) from the total surface area. So, the formula we need to use is \(2lw + 2lh + 2wh - lw\).
Step 4 :Substitute the given values into the formula: \(2*2*3 + 2*2*6 + 2*3*6 - 2*3 = 66\) square feet.
Step 5 :\(\boxed{66}\) square feet is the surface area of the cabinet that is being painted.