Describing 3D Figures Using Vocabulary Terms
The vertices in the manipulatives below are represented by the red points. How would you define a vertex?
The edges are represented by the blue segments. How would you define an edge?
The faces are represented by the shaded surfaces. The yellow shaded surfaces are faces, and the green shaded surfaces are bases. Bases are a specific type of face. How would you define faces and bases?
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Directions: Rotate each figure to view all of its vertices, edges, faces, and bases. To rotate the figures, make sure your mouse is next to the figure and not on it.
Hint: The faces of this pyramid (except the base) are all triangles, and they meet together at what looks like the “top” or “tip” of the pyramid. You can think of the base as the face that is left out and does not get to meet up with all the others at one “tip” or vertex. Triangular pyramids are a special case that can technically have ANY face as their base.
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Cones, cylinders, and spheres also contain curved edges and curved surfaces.
Curved edges will be represented by orange circles, and curved surfaces will be represented by pink bent or curved "faces." How would you define each of these in your own words?
Hint: Does this figure look strange to you? What do you NOT see here that you do see in cylinders and cones?