Properties of 2D shapes and 3D objects

Terms Illustrations Definitions

2 Dimensional 2D shapes have only 2 dimensions and are flat e.g.

shapes (2D) square, rectangle, triangle, circle, pentagon, hexagon,
heptagon, octagon, nonagon, decagon, parallelogram,
rhombus, kite, quadrilateral, trapezium.

3 Dimensional 3D objects have three dimensions. The flat surfaces

objects (3D) (faces) of many 3D objects are made up of 2D shapes e.g.
cube, cuboid, sphere, cylinder, prism.
3D objects can be stacked or rolled and items can be put
inside some 3D objects. They can also be combined to
make models.

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 Properties of 2D shapes and 3D objects

Arc Part of the circumference of a circle or part of any curve.

Circle A 2-dimensional round shape with no corners or straight

edges.
Made by drawing a curve that is always the same distance
from a centre.
Circle calculations are interrelated. Given any one of
radius, diameter, circumference or area all the others
can be calculated.

Circumference The distance all the way around a circle.

Circumference can be measured using the formula;
2 × 𝜋 × 𝑟 𝑜𝑟 𝜋 × 𝑑

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 Properties of 2D shapes and 3D objects

Composite shape A figure (or shape) that can be divided into more than one
or composite of the basic figures/shapes. For example, figure ABCD is a
figure composite figure as it consists of two basic figures – a
rectangle and triangle as shown here.

Congruent Pairs or groups of triangles are congruent when they have

triangles exactly the same three sides and exactly the same three
angles. The equal sides and angles may not be in the
same position (if there is a turn or a flip).

Cross section of a A cross section is the shape made by cutting straight

shape across an object.

Cube A 3D object made up of 6 square faces, 8 vertices and 12

edges. All edges and faces are equal.
It is also a prism because it has the same cross-section
along a length. It is a square prism. All angles are 90°.

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 Properties of 2D shapes and 3D objects

Cuboid A 3D object made up of 6 rectangular faces or a mix of 4

rectangular faces and 2 square faces, 8 vertices and 12
edges.
It is also a prism because it has the same cross-section
along a length. It is a rectangular prism. All angles are
90°.

Cylinder A 3D object with a curved face joined by two circular faces

at each end. The curved face is made of a rectangle.
It is also a prism because it has the same cross-section
along a length.

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Decagon Any 2D shape with 10 sides.

Diameter A straight line which passes through the centre of a circle.

Equilateral triangle All sides are equal and all angles are equal. Each angle =
60°

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Heptagon Any 2D shape with 7 sides.

Hexagon Any 2D shape with 6 sides.

Isosceles triangle Has two equal sides and two opposite equal angles.

Kite Has two pairs of equal sides next to each other. Has no
parallel lines. One pair of diagonally opposite angles is
equal. Only one diagonal is bisected by the other.
The diagonals cross at 90°.

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Nets The 2D pattern that creates a 3D object when folded

together. This is a net of a cube.

Nonagon Any 2D shape with 9 sides.

Octagon Any 2D shape with 8 sides.

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Parallelogram Has two pairs of opposite equal sides. Opposite sides are
parallel to each other and opposite angles are equal.
The diagonals bisect each other.

Pentagon Any 2D shape with 5 sides.

Perimeter The distance all the way around the edge of a 2D shape.
To find the perimeter of a shape, add together the lengths
of all the sides.

Pi (3.14…) The ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.

Equal to 3.14159265358979323846... (the digits go on
infinitely without repeating). Pi is often rounded to 2
decimal places to 3.14.

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Polygons Shapes with many straight sides. There are regular and
irregular polygons. Regular polygons have equal angles
and sides of equal length. Irregular polygons have sides of
different lengths.

Polyhedron Any 3D object with flat faces.

Prism Any 3D object with two identical ends and faces where the
cross section is the same all along its length. In a
triangular prism, there are two triangular faces and three
rectangular faces. The face of any cross section of this
shape when cut would always give you a triangle which
gives it its name.

Quadrilateral Any 2D shape with four sides.

Radius The distance from the centre of a circle to any point on its
circumference.

Rectangle And 2D shape with 4 sides and 4 corners. The opposite

sides are of equal length and angles are equal (90°).

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 Properties of 2D shapes and 3D objects

Representation of Using sketches, isometric paper (graph paper) or computer

2D shapes and 3D packages to draw 3D objects on a 2D plane.
objects

Rhombus Has four equal sides. Opposite sides are parallel to each
other and opposite angles are equal.
Diagonally opposite angles are equal. The diagonals bisect
each other at 90°. ©BBC Bitesize
©BBC Bitesize

Right angled One of its angles is a right angle (90°)

triangle

Scalene Triangle A triangle with no two sides equal and no two angles
equal.

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Sphere A 3D object shaped like a ball with no straight edges or

vertices.
Every point on the surface is the same distance from the
centre.

Square A 2D shape with 4 equal sides and 4 corners.

All sides are of equal length. All angles are equal (90°).
Opposite sides are parallel.
The diagonals of a square of bisect each other at 90°. The
diagonals are equal in length.

Trapezium A 2D shape which has one pair of parallel sides of different

lengths and a pair of opposite sides of equal length.

Triangle A 2D shape with 3 sides and 3 corners.

There are different types of triangles e.g. equilateral,
isosceles, scalene, right angled.

Vertex or vertices A ‘corner’ or corners on a 3D object.

(plural)
A point(s) where two or more straight lines meet.

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