Basic Shapes & Patterns
Shapes are everywhere — in buildings, nature, and art. Learning their names and properties helps you describe the world around you.
2D Shapes
A 2D shape is flat. It has length and width but no depth. The sides of 2D shapes are called sides, and the corners are called vertices.
| Shape | Sides | Vertices |
|---|---|---|
| Circle | 0 (curved) | 0 |
| Triangle | 3 | 3 |
| Square | 4 (all equal) | 4 |
| Rectangle | 4 | 4 |
| Pentagon | 5 | 5 |
| Hexagon | 6 | 6 |
3D Shapes
A 3D shape has length, width, and height. The flat surfaces are called faces, the edges where faces meet are called edges, and the corners are called vertices.
| Shape | Faces | Edges | Vertices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cube | 6 | 12 | 8 |
| Sphere | 1 (curved) | 0 | 0 |
| Cylinder | 3 (2 flat, 1 curved) | 2 | 0 |
| Cone | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Rectangular Prism | 6 | 12 | 8 |
Patterns
A pattern is something that repeats in a predictable way. Recognizing patterns is a key math thinking skill.
AB Pattern
Circle, Square, Circle, Square, Circle, ___ → Square
ABC Pattern
Red, Blue, Green, Red, Blue, Green, Red, ___ → Blue
Number Pattern
2, 4, 6, 8, ___ → 10 (adding 2 each time)
To find the missing piece, figure out the rule: What changes? By how much? Then apply it.
Quick Quiz
Test what you just learned. Choose the best answer for each question.