geometry · Foundation · AC9MFSP01
Naming flat shapes
A flat shape with straight sides is named by how many sides it has. Touch each side once as you count round, and stop when you get back to the side you started on. 3 sides make a triangle, 5 a pentagon and 6 a hexagon. A shape with 4 sides and square corners is a square if every side is the same length, and a rectangle if two sides are longer. A circle has one curved edge and no corners. Turning, stretching or denting a shape does not change its name: a triangle is still a triangle when it points down, and an L-shape with 6 sides is a hexagon.
Sample questions
What is the name of this shape? Choose from: circle, triangle, square, rectangle.
- Count the straight sides, touching each one once: 1, 2, 3, 4.
- All 4 sides are the same length and every corner is a square corner.
- It is a square.
Answer: square
What is the name of this shape? Choose from: circle, triangle, square, rectangle.
- It has one curved edge and no straight sides or corners.
- It is a circle.
Answer: circle
What is the name of this shape? Choose from: circle, triangle, square, rectangle.
- It has one curved edge and no straight sides or corners.
- It is a circle.
Answer: circle