3D shapes

Here you will learn about 3D shapes, including their names and properties and how to identify and classify 3D shapes.

Students will first learn about 3D shapes in 1 st grade with their work in geometry, identifying and classifying shapes by their properties. They expand their knowledge of 3D shapes as they progress through elementary and middle school.

What are 3D shapes?

3D shapes (three-dimensional shapes) are solid shapes that have 3 dimensions: height, width and depth (all line segments).

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Here are some familiar 3D shapes:

CubeConePyramid
shape
Cylinder
3D Shapes table image 1
3D Shapes table image 2
3D Shapes table image 3
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Faces, edges and vertices

Polyhedra are 3D shapes made up of faces, edges and vertices as illustrated below.

Face

A flat 2D shape
surrounded by
edges and vertices.

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Edge

A straight line
where two faces
meet and connect
two vertices

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Vertex

A point where
two or more edges
meet (like a corner)

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The shape in the table is a cube. It has 6 faces, 12 edges and 8 vertices.

Properties of 3D Shapes

3D shapes can be categorized in several ways. A 3D shape is either a polyhedra or a non-polyhedra.

3D shapes can then be further categorized as shown in the table below. The properties of 3D shapes can help to classify them and recall their names.

Name of polyhedraProperties of polyhedra

Rectangular prism

A rectangular prism can be
described as a cuboid.

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Step-by-step guide:

Rectangular prism

6 faces
12 edges
8 vertices (corners)


Triangular prism

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Step-by-step guide:

Triangular prism

5 faces
9 edges
6 vertices (corners)


Square pyramid

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Step-by-step guide:

Square Pyramid

5 faces
8 edges
5 vertices (corners)


Triangular pyramid
(tetrahedron)


3D Shapes table image 11
Step-by-step guide:

Triangular Pyramid

4 faces
6 edges
4 vertices (corners)

Name of non-polyhedraProperties of non-polyhedra

Sphere

A sphere can be described
simply as a ball.

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Step-by-step guide:

Sphere shape

● All dimensions (length, width
and height) are the same.
● The center point is equal from
every point on its surface.


Cylinder

A cylinder can be described as
‘prism-like’ with a circular base.

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Step-by-step guide:

Cylinder

2 circular bases
1 curved lateral surface


Cone

A cone can be described as
‘pyramid-like’ with a circular base.

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Step-by-step guide:

Cone

1 circular base
1 curved surface
1 apex (vertex)

Step-by-step guide: 3D shape names

Step-by-step guide: Pyramid shape

[FREE] 3D Shape Worksheet (Grade 1, 5 and 6)

[FREE] 3D Shape Worksheet (Grade 1, 5 and 6)

[FREE] 3D Shape Worksheet (Grade 1, 5 and 6)

Use this quiz to check your grade 1, 5 and 6 students’ understanding of 3D shape. 10+ questions with answers covering a range of 1st, 5th and 6th grade 3D shape topics to identify areas of strength and support!

DOWNLOAD FREE
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[FREE] 3D Shape Worksheet (Grade 1, 5 and 6)

[FREE] 3D Shape Worksheet (Grade 1, 5 and 6)

[FREE] 3D Shape Worksheet (Grade 1, 5 and 6)

Use this quiz to check your grade 1, 5 and 6 students’ understanding of 3D shape. 10+ questions with answers covering a range of 1st, 5th and 6th grade 3D shape topics to identify areas of strength and support!

DOWNLOAD FREE

Volume and surface area of 3D shapes

You can find the volume and surface area of 3D shapes.

The volume of a 3D shape is the amount of space there is inside the shape.

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See also: Volume

Surface area is the total area occupied by the surface of a 3D shape.

To find the surface area of a prism, cylinder, or pyramid, it is often helpful to draw the net of the 3D shape, calculate the area of each face, and then add them together.

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See also: Surface area

What are 3D shapes?

What are 3D shapes?

Common Core State Standards

How does this relate to 1 st grade math?

  • Grade 1: Geometry (1.G.A.2)
    Compose two-dimensional shapes (rectangles, squares, trapezoids, triangles, half-circles, and quarter-circles) or three-dimensional shapes (cubes, right rectangular prisms, right circular cones, and right circular cylinders) to create a composite shape, and compose new shapes from the composite shape.

How to identify 3D shapes

In order to identify a 3D shape, you will:

  1. State the characteristics of the given shape.
  2. Recall the definitions of the different 3D shapes and state which 3D shape the shape is.

3D shapes examples

Example 1: identifying 3D shapes

What is the name of this 3D shape?

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  1. State the characteristics of the given shape. 

The given shape has 1 circular base, 1 curved side that meets at the 1 apex on the shape.

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2Recall the definitions of the different 3D shapes and state which 3D shape the shape is.

Based on the characteristics of the given shape, the shape is a cone.

Example 2: identifying 3D shapes

Edward is giving Nancy directions to draw a given 3D shape. Edward tells Nancy that the shape has a square base with 4 triangular faces, 8 edges and 5 vertices. What shape is Edward describing to Nancy?

State the characteristics of the given shape.

Recall the definitions of the different 3D shapes and state which 3D shape the shape is.

Example 3: real-world example

Look at the image below and determine which 3D shape it is.

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State the characteristics of the given shape.

Recall the definitions of the different 3D shapes and state which 3D shape the shape is.

Example 4: real-world example

Look at the image below and determine which 3D shape it is.

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State the characteristics of the given shape.

Recall the definitions of the different 3D shapes and state which 3D shape the shape is.

How to identify 3D shapes in a composite shape

In order to identify 3D shapes in a composite shape, you will:

  1. Count the number of shapes that make up the composite shape.
  2. Identify and state the number of each type of shape within the composite shape.

Example 5: identifying 3D shapes in a composite shape

Look at the composite shape and identify all 3D shapes.

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Count the number of shapes that make up the composite shape.

Identify and state the number of each type of shape within the composite shape.

Example 6: identifying 3D shapes in a composite shape

Look at the composite shape and identify all 3D shapes.

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Count the number of shapes that make up the composite shape.

Identify and state the number of each type of shape within the composite shape.

Teaching tips for 3D shapes

  • Find a 3D shapes song for kids to introduce and reinforce important vocabulary and concepts. Songs often contain repetitive lyrics, which reinforce the material being learned, so when students listen to or sing a song repeatedly, the information becomes ingrained in their working memory and helps recall.

  • Teach terms like faces, edges, vertices, and base and incorporate these terms during discussions and activities.

  • Printable worksheets that show a variety of 3D shapes or real-life examples can be useful for students to practice with. Students need to practice not being able to “see” all sides of the geometric shape, but still identify all the characteristics.

Easy mistakes to make

  • Using the wrong formula
    There are several formulas for surface area and volume. Make sure you select the right one by correctly identifying the 3D shape in the question and what it is asking you to calculate.

  • Using a mixture of units in a calculation
    When you are calculating volume or surface area, you must ensure that the units of length you are using are the same. This may mean that you need to convert a unit before you carry out a calculation. For example, if one length is given in meters and another is given in centimeters, you must convert one of them so that they are either both in meters or both in centimeters.

  • Missing or incorrect units
    You should always include units in your final answer.
    Surface area is measured in square units (for example, mm^{2}, cm^{2}, m^{2}, etc.).
    Volume is measured in units cubed (for example, mm^{3}, cm^{3}, m^{3}, etc.).

    For volume, you may also be asked to give your answer in liters or millimeters for example. Note that,
    1 \, ml = 1 \, cm^{3}
    1 \, liter = 1000 \, ml = 1000 \, cm^{3}

  • Not counting “hidden” faces, edges and vertices
    When counting the faces, edges or vertices on an image of a 3D shape, you should consider if there are any that are ‘hidden’. Some drawings use dashed lines to represent edges that cannot be seen but sometimes they do not. In this case, try and visualize if there are any ‘hidden’ faces, edges, or vertices behind or underneath the 3D representation.

Practice 3D shapes questions

1. What is the name of this 3D shape?

 

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Pentagonal Pyramid

GCSE Quiz False

Pentagonal Prism

GCSE Quiz True

Pentagon

GCSE Quiz False

Irregular Prism

GCSE Quiz False

This 3D shape has congruent cross-sectional areas, it is therefore a prism. The shape of the cross-section is a regular pentagon, so it is a pentagonal prism.

2. This is a square based pyramid. How many vertices does it have?

 

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4
GCSE Quiz False

8
GCSE Quiz False

5
GCSE Quiz True

3
GCSE Quiz False

The base of the pyramid has 4 vertices as they are the corners of a square. The apex (the highest point of the shape) is another vertex, totaling 5 .

 

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3. Which shape is a triangular prism?

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GCSE Quiz False

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GCSE Quiz False

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GCSE Quiz False

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GCSE Quiz True

A triangular prism has triangular faces, which these do not.

 

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A triangular prism also has three rectangular faces, which this shape does not.

 

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This shape is a triangular prism:

 

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4. Which shape is a non-polyhedron?

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GCSE Quiz True

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GCSE Quiz False

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GCSE Quiz False

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GCSE Quiz False

Non-polyhedron shapes have at least one curved face, and these do not.

 

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This shape is a non-polyhedron:

 

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5. How many cylinders are in the composite shape?

 

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3
GCSE Quiz False

2
GCSE Quiz False

8
GCSE Quiz False

1
GCSE Quiz True

A cylinder is a non-polydron shape with two circular bases and one curved face.

 

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There is only 1 cylinder in this composite shape.

6. Which shape is a rectangular prism?

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GCSE Quiz False

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GCSE Quiz True

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GCSE Quiz False

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GCSE Quiz False

A rectangular prism is a 3D shape, and a parallelogram is not 3D.

 

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A rectangular prism has 6 rectangular faces, but a cylinder has no rectangular faces and a square pyramid only has one.

 

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This shape is a rectangular prism. It is also classified as a cube.

 

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3D shape FAQs

What is the difference between 2D and 3D shapes?

The main difference between 2D and 3D shapes lies in their dimensions. 2D shapes are flat and exist only on a plane, with length and width. They have no depth or thickness. 3D shapes have length, width, and height. They are solid, occupy space, and have a three-dimensional structure.

How do you identify a 3D shape?

To identify a 3D shape, you need to consider its properties. Look for features like faces (the flat surfaces), edges (the lines where two faces meet), and vertices (the points where edges meet). The number and arrangement of faces, edges, and vertices can help you determine the specific 3D shape.

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