Attributes of Shapes — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
A rectangle has 2 vertices and 4 sides.
Corrected: A rectangle has 4 vertices and 4 sides.
A rectangle is a four-sided shape, and every place where two sides meet forms a vertex, so it must have 4 vertices — exactly one per corner.
2. Fix the sentence:
Parallel lines cross each other at a point.
Corrected: Parallel lines never cross each other.
Parallel lines stay the exact same distance apart forever, so by definition they can never meet or cross — that is what makes them parallel.
3. Fix the sentence:
A trapezoid has 2 pairs of parallel sides.
Corrected: A trapezoid has 1 pair of parallel sides.
A trapezoid has exactly one pair of parallel sides — if it had two pairs, it would be a parallelogram instead.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A polygon with 6 sides has 6 vertices.
In any polygon, each side ends at a corner where it meets the next side, so the number of vertices always matches the number of sides — 6 sides means 6 vertices.
2. Two lines that meet at a right angle are called perpendicular lines.
Perpendicular is the special name for lines that cross to make a perfect 90-degree corner, like the lines on the letter T or a plus sign.
3. A parallelogram has 2 pairs of parallel sides.
A parallelogram is named for its parallel sides, and it has 2 pairs — the top is parallel to the bottom, and the left side is parallel to the right side.
4. The point where two sides of a shape meet is called a vertex.
A vertex is the math word for a corner of a shape — the sharp point you can touch where two sides come together.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. A triangle has 3 vertices.
True False
True — a triangle has 3 sides, and each pair of sides meets at a corner, giving the shape exactly 3 vertices.
2. Perpendicular lines are always parallel.
True False
False — perpendicular lines cross to form a right angle, while parallel lines never cross at all, so a line cannot be both at the same time.
3. A rectangle has 2 pairs of parallel sides.
True False
True — in a rectangle, the top and bottom run side by side as one parallel pair, and the left and right do the same as a second pair.