Three-dimensional shapes

A three-dimensional figure is a figure that has depth, width, and height. Three-dimensional geometry, or space geometry, is used to describe the buildings we live and work in, the tools we work with, and the objects we create. There are many different types of three-dimensional figures.

Prisms have flat surfaces, called faces. The faces meet to form edges. The edges meet at corners called vertices. (A single corner is called a vertex.)

Bases are used to name prisms. For example, a rectangular solid, or rectangular prism, is a three-dimensional solid with a rectangle for a base.

Think of a rectangular solid as being made of rectangles and squares. It has six faces.
A cube is a special type of rectangular solid. In a cube, all the faces are squares.

 

A pyramid has a quadrilateral for a base and triangles for sides. It has four triangular faces sharing a common vertex. In other words, a pyramid always comes to a point. Sometimes, the base is also a triangle, which gives the pyramid four faces.

Like a pyramid, a cone is a three-dimensional figure that also comes to a point. It has one circular base and a vertex that is not on the base.

A sphere is one of the most familiar three-dimensional shapes. It has no flat surfaces. You live on Earth—one large sphere! A sphere is made when you twirl a circle around one of its diameters. Like a circle, all the points of a sphere are at the same distance from its center.

A cylinder is a three-dimensional figure that has two parallel, congruent bases. Both bases are circles. If you've seen the stockpiles of canned food at a food drive, you've encountered cylinders.

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