Topic 7 of 8
Flat and solid shapes
Step 2 · Numbers to 100 topics
Name flat shapes and solid shapes, tell them apart, and use words such as above, below and next to for where things are.
Flat shapes
Flat shapes can be drawn on paper. They have length and width but no thickness. Circles, triangles, squares, rectangles and hexagons are flat.
| Flat shape | Sides | Corners |
|---|---|---|
| triangle | 3 | 3 |
| square | 4 | 4 |
| rectangle | 4 | 4 |
| hexagon | 6 | 6 |
| circle | 0 | 0 |
Solid shapes
Solid shapes take up space: you can hold them. A cube is like a dice. A sphere is like a ball. A cone is like an ice-cream cone. A cylinder is like a can.
The flat sides of a solid are called faces. A cube has 6 square faces. A cylinder has 2 circle faces. A sphere has no flat faces at all, so it rolls every way.
| Solid | Flat faces | Can it roll? |
|---|---|---|
| cube | 6 | no |
| sphere | 0 | yes |
| cylinder | 2 | yes, on its side |
| cone | 1 | yes, in a circle |
Where things are
Position words say where things are: above, below, beside, next to, in front of, behind. The lamp is above the table. The cat is below the table.
Try it yourself
Work each one on paper first, then open the answer to check.
Is a ball flat or solid?
Show answer
Solid. It is a sphere.
How many sides does a hexagon have?
Show answer
6.
How many flat faces does a cube have?
Show answer
6.
Which solid is shaped like a can?
Show answer
A cylinder.
The bird is above the tree. Is the tree above or below the bird?
Show answer
Below.