This math skill involves identifying common three-dimensional shapes, distinguishing between prisms and pyramids, and naming them based on their base shapes. Prisms have parallel sides, while pyramids converge at a point. Special cases include the cube, cylinder, sphere, and cone, recognized through specific shape features.
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Identify the common 3D shapes
Test your understanding of identify the common 3D shapes by practicing it! Work through the below exercises to use it in practice.
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Name the common 3 dimensional shapes
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Two main types are prisms, which have parallel sides, and pyramids, which come to a single point.
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Prisms and pyramids are both named by their base shape, so if it starts with a hexagon and has parallel sides it's a hexagonal prism, and if it starts from a hexagon and comes to a point it's a hexagonal pyramid.
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Starting from a rectangle and with parallel sides is a rectangular prism, but if all sides are equal, we usually just call it a cube, not a square prism.
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If the base shape is a circle, it would usually be called a cylinder, not a circular prism. A sphere is a ball shape.
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A triangular pyramid is sometimes called a tetrahedron, although both names are used. A circular base that comes to a point is called a cone.