Corners, Sides and Faces
Every shape has corners, sides, and some shapes also have faces. Counting these helps us describe and compare shapes.
In Class 2, you learn to count the corners and sides of flat shapes (2D) and the faces, edges, and corners of solid shapes (3D).
What is Corners, Sides and Faces - Class 2 Maths (Shapes)?
Sides: The straight lines that make a flat shape. A triangle has 3 sides.
Corners (Vertices): The points where two sides meet. A triangle has 3 corners.
Faces: The flat surfaces of a 3D shape. A cube has 6 faces.
Edges: The lines where two faces of a 3D shape meet. A cube has 12 edges.
Types and Properties
2D Shapes — Sides and Corners:
| Shape | Sides | Corners |
|---|---|---|
| Triangle | 3 | 3 |
| Square | 4 | 4 |
| Rectangle | 4 | 4 |
| Pentagon | 5 | 5 |
| Hexagon | 6 | 6 |
| Circle | 0 (curved) | 0 |
3D Shapes — Faces, Edges, and Corners:
| Shape | Faces | Edges | Corners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cube | 6 | 12 | 8 |
| Cuboid | 6 | 12 | 8 |
| Cylinder | 3 (2 flat + 1 curved) | 2 | 0 |
| Cone | 2 (1 flat + 1 curved) | 1 | 1 |
| Sphere | 1 (curved) | 0 | 0 |
Solved Examples
Example 1: Counting Sides and Corners of a Rectangle
Question: How many sides and corners does a rectangle have?
Think:
- Count the straight lines: 4 sides
- Count the points where sides meet: 4 corners
Answer: A rectangle has 4 sides and 4 corners.
Example 2: Does a Circle Have Corners?
Question: How many corners does a circle have?
Think:
- A circle has a curved line, no straight sides
- No sides means no corners
Answer: A circle has 0 corners and 0 straight sides.
Example 3: Faces of a Cube
Question: A dice is shaped like a cube. How many faces does it have?
Think:
- A cube has a flat face on the top, bottom, front, back, left, and right
- That is 6 faces
Answer: A cube has 6 faces. All faces are squares.
Example 4: Word Problem — Triangles
Question: Priya draws 3 triangles. How many corners are there in all?
Think:
- Each triangle has 3 corners
- 3 triangles × 3 corners = 9 corners
Answer: There are 9 corners in all.
Example 5: Comparing Shapes
Question: Which has more sides — a triangle or a pentagon?
Think:
- Triangle = 3 sides
- Pentagon = 5 sides
Answer: A pentagon has more sides.
Example 6: Edges of a Cuboid
Question: Arjun has a box shaped like a cuboid. How many edges does it have?
Think:
- A cuboid has 4 edges on top, 4 on the bottom, and 4 connecting top to bottom
- 4 + 4 + 4 = 12 edges
Answer: A cuboid has 12 edges.
Example 7: Corners of a Cone
Question: An ice cream cone is shaped like a cone. How many corners does it have?
Think:
- A cone has a pointed tip at the top
- That point is 1 corner
Answer: A cone has 1 corner (the pointed tip).
Key Points to Remember
- Sides are the straight lines of a flat (2D) shape.
- Corners are the points where two sides or edges meet.
- Faces are the flat surfaces of a solid (3D) shape.
- A circle has 0 sides and 0 corners. A sphere has 0 edges and 0 corners.
- For 2D shapes, the number of sides always equals the number of corners.
Practice Problems
- How many sides does a hexagon have?
- How many corners does a triangle have?
- Dev counts the faces of a cuboid. How many faces does he count?
- Which shape has no corners — circle or square?
- Meera draws 4 squares. How many corners in total?
- How many edges does a cube have?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the difference between a side and an edge?
A side is a straight line of a flat (2D) shape. An edge is a line where two faces of a solid (3D) shape meet. For flat shapes we say sides; for solid shapes we say edges.
Q2. How many corners does a circle have?
A circle has 0 corners. It is a curved shape with no straight sides and no meeting points.
Q3. What is a face of a 3D shape?
A face is a flat surface of a 3D shape. A cube has 6 square faces. A cylinder has 2 circular faces and 1 curved surface.
Q4. Do all shapes have the same number of sides and corners?
For 2D shapes, the number of sides and corners is always the same. A square has 4 of each, a triangle has 3 of each.
Q5. How many faces does a sphere have?
A sphere has 1 curved surface and 0 flat faces. It has no edges and no corners.
Q6. What is a vertex?
Vertex is the mathematical word for corner. The plural is vertices. A cube has 8 vertices (corners).
