4.7.1

Types of 3D Shape

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3D Shapes

On a 3D shape, flat surfaces are called faces, the lines where two surfaces meet are called edges and the corners where two edges meet are called vertices. Edges can be curved or straight.

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Cuboid

  • A cuboid has 6 faces which are all rectangles. It has 12 edges and 8 vertices. Its edges are not necessarily all the same length.
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Cube

  • A cube is a special kind of cuboid whose edges are all the same length so that its 6 faces are identical and all squares.
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Prism

  • A prism is a 3D shape with flat faces and an identical cross-section throughout the length of the shape.
  • A prism has two end faces called bases then one face for each side of the base.
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Pyramid

  • This is a square based pyramid.
    • Square based pyramids have 5 faces, 5 vertices and 8 edges.
    • Triangular based pyramids have 4 faces, 4 vertices and 6 edges.
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Cylinder

  • A cylinder has a flat face at each end called a base, and a curved surface along its length.
  • It has two edges (one around each base) and no vertices.
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Cone

  • A cone has 2 surfaces, 1 edge and 1 vertex.
  • The top of a cone is called the apex.
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Sphere

  • A sphere is a perfectly round 3D shape.
  • It has one curved surface and no edges or vertices.

Jump to other topics

1Number

1.1Place Value

1.2Factors & Multiples

1.3Operations

1.4Fractions, Decimals & Percentages

1.5Growth & Decay

1.6Measurements & Units

1.7Accuracy

2Algebra

3Ratio, Proportion & Rates of Change

4Geometry & Measures

5Probability

6Statistics

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