Year 1: Solid shapes with flat faces: cube, cuboid and pyramid
Part of the Year 1 2-d and 3-d shapes chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Solid shapes with flat faces: cube, cuboid and pyramid
Some shapes are solid. We call them 3-D shapes. They have depth, so you can pick them up. Each flat side of a solid shape is called a face. Where faces meet, there is a corner.
A cube is like a dice. All six of its faces are squares. A cuboid is like a cereal box. A pyramid has a square base, and its triangle faces meet at a point.
Key ideas
- A face is a flat side of a solid shape.
- A cube has 6 square faces and 8 corners.
- A cuboid has 6 faces that are rectangles, and 8 corners.
- A pyramid has 5 faces and 5 corners.
Method. Count the flat faces one at a time.
- Look at the cube. Find each one of the flat faces.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Count them all. The last number tells you how many there are.6 flat faces
- Write the answer. 6
Check. Count again from the other side. You get 6 again. ✓
Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice. Some faces are on the back or underneath. Turn the real shape to count them all.
Method. Check the faces of each shape, then pick the one that matches.
- Check each shape. Look at the faces of each shape.cube: 6, cuboid: 6, pyramid: 5
- Find the one that matches. Only one shape has faces 5.pyramid matches.
- Write the answer. pyramid
Check. Read the facts for pyramid again. ✓
Watch out. Check every shape, not just the first one you see.
Method. Count the corners one at a time.
- Look at the cuboid. Find each one of the corners.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
- Count them all. The last number tells you how many there are.8 corners
- Write the answer. 8
Check. Count again from the other side. You get 8 again. ✓
Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice.
Watch out
Watch out: a face is flat. A ball has no flat faces, so it is not a cube. Do not mix up a flat square on paper with a solid cube.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Use a real cereal box (cuboid) and a dice or sugar cube (cube). Ask your child to touch each face and count them. Hidden faces are on the back and the bottom, so turn the box over to find them.
Exercise 3C Cubes, cuboids and pyramids
Non-calculatorKey words. A flat shape is 2-D. A solid shape is 3-D, so it has depth.
Method. Look at the shape, then match its facts to a name.
- Look at the shape. Is it flat, or is it solid? Flat shapes are 2-D. Solid shapes are 3-D.It is a solid (3-D) shape.
- Read its facts. Each name has its own facts. Count the sides, corners or faces.It has 6 flat faces, and they are all squares. It has 8 corners.
- Find the name that matches. Only one shape name has these facts.cube
Check. Say the name out loud. Does it fit the facts? ✓
Watch out. Count the sides or faces before you say the name.
Key words. A flat shape is 2-D. A solid shape is 3-D, so it has depth.
Method. Look at the shape, then match its facts to a name.
- Look at the shape. Is it flat, or is it solid? Flat shapes are 2-D. Solid shapes are 3-D.It is a solid (3-D) shape.
- Read its facts. Each name has its own facts. Count the sides, corners or faces.It has 6 flat faces, and they are rectangles. It has 8 corners.
- Find the name that matches. Only one shape name has these facts.cuboid
Check. Say the name out loud. Does it fit the facts? ✓
Watch out. Count the sides or faces before you say the name.
Key words. A flat shape is 2-D. A solid shape is 3-D, so it has depth.
Method. Look at the shape, then match its facts to a name.
- Look at the shape. Is it flat, or is it solid? Flat shapes are 2-D. Solid shapes are 3-D.It is a solid (3-D) shape.
- Read its facts. Each name has its own facts. Count the sides, corners or faces.It has a square base and 4 triangle faces that meet at a point. It has 5 flat faces and 5 corners.
- Find the name that matches. Only one shape name has these facts.pyramid
Check. Say the name out loud. Does it fit the facts? ✓
Watch out. Count the sides or faces before you say the name.
Method. Count the flat faces one at a time.
- Look at the cube. Find each one of the flat faces.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Count them all. The last number tells you how many there are.6 flat faces
- Write the answer. 6
Check. Count again from the other side. You get 6 again. ✓
Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice. Some faces are on the back or underneath. Turn the real shape to count them all.
Method. Count the flat faces one at a time.
- Look at the pyramid. Find each one of the flat faces.1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Count them all. The last number tells you how many there are.5 flat faces
- Write the answer. 5
Check. Count again from the other side. You get 5 again. ✓
Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice. Some faces are on the back or underneath. Turn the real shape to count them all.
Method. Count the corners one at a time.
- Look at the cube. Find each one of the corners.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
- Count them all. The last number tells you how many there are.8 corners
- Write the answer. 8
Check. Count again from the other side. You get 8 again. ✓
Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice.
Method. Count the corners one at a time.
- Look at the cube. Find each one of the corners.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
- Count them all. The last number tells you how many there are.8 corners
- Write the answer. 8
Check. Count again from the other side. You get 8 again. ✓
Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice.
Method. Count the corners one at a time.
- Look at the cuboid. Find each one of the corners.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
- Count them all. The last number tells you how many there are.8 corners
- Write the answer. 8
Check. Count again from the other side. You get 8 again. ✓
Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice.
Method. Count the corners one at a time.
- Look at the pyramid. Find each one of the corners.1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Count them all. The last number tells you how many there are.5 corners
- Write the answer. 5
Check. Count again from the other side. You get 5 again. ✓
Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice.
Method. Check the faces of each shape, then pick the one that matches.
- Check each shape. Look at the faces of each shape.cube: 6, cuboid: 6, pyramid: 5
- Find the one that matches. Only one shape has faces 5.pyramid matches.
- Write the answer. pyramid
Check. Read the facts for pyramid again. ✓
Watch out. Check every shape, not just the first one you see.
Method. Check the corners of each shape, then pick the one that matches.
- Check each shape. Look at the corners of each shape.cube: 8, cuboid: 8, pyramid: 5
- Find the one that matches. Only one shape has corners 5.pyramid matches.
- Write the answer. pyramid
Check. Read the facts for pyramid again. ✓
Watch out. Check every shape, not just the first one you see.
Method. Count the faces of a cuboid, then compare with the number given.
- Count the faces. Count each one once.A cuboid has 6 faces.
- Compare with 5. Is the number the same?5 and 6 are not the same.
- Write the answer. No. A cuboid has 6 faces.
Check. Count again to check: 6. ✓
Watch out. Count every one, including any on the back or underneath.
Method. Count the faces and corners of each shape, then look closely at the faces.
- Count the faces of each shape. Count each flat face once.cube: 6 faces. cuboid: 6 faces.
- Count the corners of each shape. Count each corner once.cube: 8 corners. cuboid: 8 corners.
- Look at the shape of the faces. Two shapes can have the same number of faces but look different.cube: square faces. cuboid: rectangle faces.
- Write the answer. Same: 6 faces and 8 corners. Different: a cube has square faces, and a cuboid has rectangle faces.
Check. Look at the picture again. ✓
Watch out. Same number does not mean same shape. Look at the faces.