Solids, flat shapes and position · Usually met around P1
2D shapes
Name it by its sides; a shared side is one stick.
How to do it
Method
Name it by its sides; a shared side is one stick
2 squares in a row: 4 + 3 = 7 sticks
Another way
Count stick by stick
2 on top, 2 below, 3 upright → 7
In full
Count the straight sides: 3 makes a triangle, 4 a quadrilateral (squares and rectangles are quadrilaterals), 5 a pentagon, 6 a hexagon; a circle has one curved side and no corners. A shape with straight sides has as many corners as sides. Making shapes from sticks takes a stick a side: separate triangles take 3 each; joined, neighbours share a stick, so fewer are needed: 2 squares in a row take 7 sticks, not 8.
Worked examples
Have a go first, then open each one for the answer and the working.
Example 1
How many sides does this shape have?
Show the answer and working
Answer: 3 sides
Count the sides one by one going round: 3.
Example 2
What shape is this?
- A. Quadrilateral
- B. Triangle
- C. Pentagon
- D. Hexagon
Choose the right answer
Show the answer and working
Answer: A. Quadrilateral
A shape is named by its number of straight sides; 3 sides is a triangle.
Example 3
Squares in a row are made of sticks; the picture shows 2. How many sticks make 7 squares in a row like this?
Show the answer and working
Answer: 22 sticks
The first square takes 4, and each one after only 3 more: 4 + 3 + 3 … = 22.
Practise it in the game →Solids, flat shapes and position · Free to start, unlimited questions, no download