We often classify shapes by how many sides they have. Picturing a shape just based on definition is difficult- what does it mean to have form but not take up space? Let's take a look at some different shapes to better understand what exactly it means to be a shape! The 6 Main Types of Two-Dimensional Geometric Shapes That's what differentiates a shape from the other geometric figures-it's two- or three-dimensional, because it has a form.Ĭubes, like those seen here, are three-dimensional forms of squares-both are shapes! Though we may represent points or lines as shapes because we need to actually see them, they don't actually have any form. It extends infinitely in either direction and has no thickness. The fact that it has a form is what differentiates a shape from a point or a line.Ī point is just a position it has no size, no width, no length, no dimension whatsoever.Ī line, on the other hand, is one-dimensional. It's kind of hard to wrap your mind around, but don't think of them as being physical objects-a shape can be three-dimensional and take up physical room, such as a pyramid-shaped bookend or a cylinder can of oatmeal, or it can be two-dimensional and take up no physical room, such as a triangle drawn on a piece of paper. A circle isn't defined by how much room it takes up or where you see it, but rather the actual round form that it takes.Ī shape can be any size and appear anywhere they're not constrained by anything because they don't actually take up any room. But 'shape' has a specific meaning, too-it's not just a name for circles, squares, and triangles.Ī shape is the form of an object-not how much room it takes up or where it is physically, but the actual form it takes. If someone asks you what a shape is, you'll likely be able to name quite a few of them. In this article, we'll cover what exactly a shape is, as well as a bunch of common shapes, what they look like, and the major formulas associated with them. But understanding what a shape is is incredibly handy when comparing it to other geometric figures, such as planes, points, and lines.

You've probably learned a lot about shapes without ever really thinking about what they are.

A 2d geometric shape