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Lines

There are two sorts of lines that are used to make shapes.

These are curved lines.

Curves lines.

These are straight lines.

Straight lines.

A two-dimensional or 2D shape is made up of lines. Sometimes the lines are curved and sometimes the lines are straight.

The lines all join up to make shapes like these.

Different shapes.
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What are sides?

When the lines join to make a shape they are not called lines, they are called sides.

Some shapes are made from only straight sides.

Straight sided shapes.

Some shapes are made from only curved sides.

Curved shapes.

Some shapes have a mixture of curved and straight sides.

Three shapes with curved and straight sides

Have a look around.

  • Can you see any shapes that use straight lines?

  • Can you see any shapes with curved lines?

Why not try drawing a picture using only straight lines.

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Triangles

A triangle has 3 sides and 3 vertices (corners). A vertex is where two lines meet or join.

A triangle showing 3 sides and 3 corners

There are different kinds of triangles.

These triangles have sides that are all the same length.

triangles with sides of all the same length

These triangles have sides that have two different lengths.

Can you spot which sides are the same on each of the triangles?

Triangles with 2 sides the same length

These triangles have sides that are all different lengths.

Triangles with different length sides.
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Activity

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Karate Cats Maths game. game

Train with the Karate Cats to become an expert in addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, place value and more!

Karate Cats Maths game
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More on 2D and 3D shapes

Find out more by working through a topic