Shapes and their names Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics A revision
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In plain words
Geometry has its own vocabulary, and questions use it without explaining. Know the names of the triangles, the four-sided shapes, the parts of a circle and the common solids, and what makes each one special.
Three things to know
- Triangles: equilateral (all sides equal), isosceles (two equal), scalene (none equal), right-angled. Quadrilaterals: square, rectangle, parallelogram, rhombus, trapezium (one pair of parallel sides), kite.
- Circle: the radius goes from the centre to the edge; the diameter goes right across through the centre; a chord joins two points on the edge; a tangent touches the circle once; an arc is part of the edge; a sector is a "pizza slice".
- Solids have faces, edges and vertices (corners). A cuboid has 6 faces, 12 edges and 8 vertices. A net is a solid folded out flat.
Tips and tricks
- A rhombus has four equal sides; a parallelogram has two pairs of equal sides. Every square is a rhombus and a rectangle.
- Diameter = 2 × radius. Read carefully which one the question gives you.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
Shapes and their names: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
Which triangle has exactly two equal sides?
It also has two equal angles.
What is a line from the centre of a circle to its edge called?
The diameter is twice as long.
How many edges does a cuboid have?
Four on top, four on the bottom, four upright.
Which quadrilateral has four equal sides and four right angles?
A rhombus has equal sides but not right angles.
What is a sector of a circle?
It is bounded by two radii and an arc.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
3 questions, 7 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
Shapes and their names
Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics A 4MA1 · 7 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
Name the quadrilateral that has exactly one pair of parallel sides, and the one with four equal sides but no right angles.[2]
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A trapezium, and a rhombus.
State the number of faces, edges and vertices of a cube.[3]
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6 faces, 12 edges, 8 vertices.
State the difference between a chord and a tangent.[2]
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A chord is a straight line joining two points on the circle. A tangent is a straight line that touches the circle at one point only.
Answers: Shapes and their names
- 1. A trapezium, and a rhombus.
- 2. 6 faces, 12 edges, 8 vertices.
- 3. A chord is a straight line joining two points on the circle. A tangent is a straight line that touches the circle at one point only.