- Define and explain Solid Shapes in your own words
- Use key terms such as Vertex accurately
- Apply what you have learned to new examples and questions
- Avoid the common mistakes learners make with this topic
This lesson focuses on Solid Shapes: meet cubes, cuboids, spheres, cylinders and cones you can hold.
Meet cubes, cuboids, spheres, cylinders and cones you can hold.
Key ideas
Shapes have properties
Counting sides and corners tells shapes apart: a triangle has 3 sides and 3 corners, a square has 4 equal sides. Properties are more reliable than looks.
Comparing measures
Words like longer, heavier and holds more only make sense when you compare two things directly — always name both sides of the comparison.
Key term — Vertex: A corner point where two sides meet. The plural is vertices.
A toy box holds 12 triangles, 8 squares and 5 circles. How many more triangles than squares are there, and what is the total of all three shapes?
More triangles than squares: 12 − 8 = 4. Total shapes: 12 + 8 + 5 = 25.
Answer: 4 more triangles; 25 shapes altogether.
- Calling every four-sided shape a square A square needs four equal sides and four right angles; a rectangle has opposite sides equal instead.
- Reading the wrong end of the ruler Always start measuring from the 0 mark, not from the end of the ruler.
Practice
250 ml — 500 − 250 = 250.
A cube.
6 — a hexagon has six sides and six vertices.
1 metre — it equals 100 cm, which is more than 90 cm.
Quick check
Which of these best defines "Vertex"?
A ribbon is 45 cm long. 15 cm is cut off. How long is left?
Order these by weight, lightest first: an apple, a bag of flour, a grape.
- Solid Shapes: meet cubes, cuboids, spheres, cylinders and cones you can hold.
- Shapes have properties: Counting sides and corners tells shapes apart: a triangle has 3 sides and 3 corners, a square has 4 equal sides.
- Capacity: How much a container can hold, measured in millilitres or litres.
- Watch out for: calling every four-sided shape a square