Lesson 7.1 · Shapes
Flat shapes
Look around you. A clock is round. A door has four straight sides. Shapes are everywhere! Let's learn their names.
Sides and corners
A side is a straight edge of a shape. A corner is where two sides meet.
To learn about a shape, count its sides. Then count its corners.
Definition
Flat shape
A flat shape lies flat, like a drawing on paper. You can't pick it up and hold it like a ball.
Meet the shapes
| Shape | Picture | Sides | Corners |
|---|---|---|---|
| circle | ⚪ | 0 | 0 |
| triangle | 🔺 | 3 | 3 |
| square | 🟦 | 4 | 4 |
| rectangle | a long box | 4 | 4 |
| hexagon | a honeycomb cell | 6 | 6 |
A circle is round. It has no straight sides and no corners.
A square and a rectangle both have 4 sides. A square's sides are all the same length. A rectangle can have two long sides and two short sides.
Here is a circle, a square and a triangle.
And here is a rectangle and a hexagon.
Count the sides
The number of sides tells you the shape. 3 sides make a triangle. 4 sides can make a square or a rectangle. 6 sides make a hexagon.
Worked example: Name the shape
A shape has 3 sides and 3 corners. What is it?
3 sides means it is a triangle. 🔺
Worked example: Count the corners
How many corners does a square have?
Touch each corner and count: one, two, three, four. A square has 4 corners.
Worked example: A shape can turn
This triangle is standing on its point: 🔻
Is it still a triangle? Count the sides: one, two, three. Yes! It is still a triangle.
Common mistake
Turning a shape or making it bigger does not change its name. A big triangle, a small triangle and an upside-down triangle are all triangles.
Practice
How many sides does a triangle have?
🔺
Type a number.
Which shape is round and has no corners?
How many corners does a rectangle have?
Type a number.
How many corners does a circle have?
⚪
Type a number.
A shape has 4 sides. All 4 sides are the same length. What is it?
A honeycomb cell is shaped like a hexagon. How many sides does a hexagon have?
Type a number.
How many triangles are in this row?
🔺 🟦 🔻 ⚪ 🔺