A rectangular prism is a three-dimensional solid with six rectangular faces, twelve edges, and eight vertices; its faces meet in rectangular regions, and a cube is a special case whose faces are all squares. Identification depends on these structural attributes rather than the solid’s orientation or whether it resembles a familiar box, distinguishing it from shapes such as triangular prisms, pyramids, cylinders, and spheres; volume, surface area, and nets are not included.
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Detailed Explanation: Identify rectangular prisms
A rectangular prism is a solid shape with:
- rectangular faces
- edges
- vertices (corners)
It may be standing, lying down, or turned around. Its position does not change its shape. A cube is a special rectangular prism because all of its faces are squares.
Example: Is a box-shaped solid a rectangular prism?
- Look at its faces. The solid has faces.
- Check the shape of the faces. Each face is a rectangle.
- Count the edges. It has edges.
- Count the corners. It has vertices.
All the properties match, so yes, the solid is a rectangular prism.
Learn by doing: Identify rectangular prisms
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Practice:
Identify Shapes 3D - Count Rectangular Prisms
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Download/Modify Free Grade 2 'Identify rectangular prisms' Worksheet
Print this free 'Identify rectangular prisms' worksheet to practice this skill away from the computer. Click 'Modify' to easily customize this worksheet to your exact needs.
This Worksheet Includes:
- Identify Shapes 3D - Count Rectangular Prisms
- Complex 3D Shapes (Real World) - Reversed
- Complex 3D Shapes (Real World)
- Identify Shapes 3D - Count Rectangular Prisms (Real World)
- 3D Shapes - Is the Shape a Prism or Pyramid (Real World) - Reversed
- 3D Shapes - Is the Shape a Prism or Pyramid - Reversed
- 3D Shapes - Is the Shape a Prism or Pyramid - Type Only
- 3D Shapes - Is the Shape a Prism or Pyramid
Units Teaching This Skill
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