15 identical solid metallic spheres of radius 3 cm are melted to form a single solid sphere. 259.97 cm³ of the material was lost in the process. What is the surface area of the newly formed sphere?

616 cm²

Volume of 15 smaller spheres = 15 \(\frac{4}{3}\) \(\pi \) (3)³ = 1695.6 cm³

Given, 259.97 cm³ was lost 

Thus Volume of new sphere = 1435.63cm³ =   \(\frac{4}{3}\) \(\pi \) (r)³

 r = 7 cm

Surface area = 4 \(\pi \) r² = 616 cm²