Identifying 2D & 3D Shapes & Attributes — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A cube has 6 faces.
A cube has 6 flat square faces because there is one on the top, one on the bottom, and one on each of the four sides. You can see all 6 by looking at a dice.
2. A triangle has 3 sides and 3 corners.
A triangle is the 2D shape with exactly 3 straight sides and 3 corners where the sides meet. The word "tri" at the start even means three.
3. A sphere is a 3D shape.
A sphere is 3D because it has length, width, and depth, like a ball you can hold and roll. Flat shapes on paper only have two dimensions.
4. A rectangle has 4 corners.
A rectangle has 4 corners because its 4 straight sides meet at 4 spots. Each corner is a square angle, the same as on a book or a door.
5. A cone has 1 vertex at the top.
A cone has 1 vertex at the top because all of its curved surface slides up to meet at a single point. That pointy tip is its only vertex.
6. A cylinder has 2 flat faces and 1 curved surface.
A cylinder matches because it has a round flat face on the top and bottom, with a curved side wrapping around. Soup cans and paper-towel tubes look like this.
7. A square has 4 equal sides and 4 corners.
A square has 4 corners, one at each place where its equal sides come together. Each corner is the same square angle as the others.
8. A cube has 12 edges.
A cube has 12 edges because each of its 6 square faces shares edges with the others, making 12 lines in total. You can count 4 on top, 4 on bottom, and 4 going up and down.
9. A circle is round and flat like a coin.
A circle is the 2D shape that is round with no corners, just like a penny or quarter. Since it is flat, it is 2D, unlike a sphere which is 3D.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
cube
→ 6 faces
6 faces
sphere
→ no edges
no edges
cone
→ 1 vertex
1 vertex
cylinder
→ 2 flat faces
2 flat faces
Match each 3D shape to its special property: a cube is made of 6 square faces, a sphere is perfectly round so it has no edges, a cone tapers to 1 point at the top, and a cylinder has 2 flat circle faces. Remembering one unique clue per shape makes sorting them easy.