3D Shapes

3D solid shapes

Here are some common solid shapes.

Prisms and pyramids

A prism is a 3D shape which has a constant cross section - both ends of the solid are the same shape and anywhere you cut parallel to these ends will give you the same shape.

For example, in the prism below, the cross section is a hexagon.

This is called a hexagonal prism.

A pyramid has sloping faces that meet at a vertex.

Square-based pyramid

Tetrahedron

Drawing 3D shapes on isometric paper

You can use isometric paper to draw 3D shapes.

Remember to hold the isometric paper so that you can see vertical rows of dots!

This cube has been drawn using the dots as guides. The vertical lines are always vertical, but the horizontal lines are drawn at an angle, when drawn on isometric dotted paper. You could get some isometric paper and draw the cube yourself.