krit.club logo

Geometry - Identifying 3D shapes and their nets

Grade 5IGCSE

Review the key concepts, formulae, and examples before starting your quiz.

🔑Concepts

3D shapes (solids) have three dimensions: length, width, and height.

Faces: The flat or curved surfaces that make up the outside of a 3D shape.

Edges: The lines where two faces meet.

Vertices: The corner points where three or more edges meet (singular: vertex).

Prisms: 3D shapes with two identical ends (bases) and flat sides. They have the same cross-section all along their length.

Pyramids: 3D shapes with a polygon base and triangular faces that meet at a single point (apex).

Nets: A 2D flat pattern that can be folded to create a 3D shape.

Identifying Nets: Every face in the 3D shape must be represented in the net, and they must be positioned so they don't overlap when folded.

📐Formulae

Euler's Formula for Polyhedra: F+VE=2F + V - E = 2 (where FF = Faces, VV = Vertices, EE = Edges)

Cube Properties: F=6,V=8,E=12F=6, V=8, E=12

Square-based Pyramid Properties: F=5,V=5,E=8F=5, V=5, E=8

Triangular Prism Properties: F=5,V=6,E=9F=5, V=6, E=9

💡Examples

Problem 1:

Identify the 3D shape that consists of 2 circular faces and 1 curved surface. What would its net look like?

Solution:

Cylinder.

Explanation:

A cylinder has two identical circular bases at the top and bottom. Its net consists of two circles and one rectangle (which wraps around to form the curved surface).

Problem 2:

A 3D shape has 4 triangular faces and 4 vertices. Name the shape and describe its net.

Solution:

Triangular-based pyramid (or Tetrahedron).

Explanation:

Since all 4 faces are triangles, it is a tetrahedron. Its net consists of four triangles joined together; commonly seen as one central triangle with three other triangles attached to its sides.

Problem 3:

If a shape is a hexagonal prism, how many faces, vertices, and edges does it have?

Solution:

Faces: 8, Vertices: 12, Edges: 18.

Explanation:

A hexagonal prism has 2 hexagonal bases and 6 rectangular side faces (2+6=82 + 6 = 8). It has 6 vertices on the top base and 6 on the bottom (6+6=126 + 6 = 12). It has 6 edges on the top, 6 on the bottom, and 6 vertical edges connecting them (6+6+6=186 + 6 + 6 = 18).

Problem 4:

Which 3D shape has a net made of one square and four triangles?

Solution:

Square-based pyramid.

Explanation:

The square acts as the base of the pyramid, and the four triangles fold up to meet at a single point (vertex) above the center of the square.