2D (Two Dimensional) Shapes – Definition With Examples

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What Are Two Dimensional Shapes? 

A two-dimensional (2D) shape can be defined as a flat figure or a shape that has two dimensionslength and width. Two dimensional or 2D shapes do not have any thickness. 

2D figures can be classified on the basis of the dimensions they have. 

Examples of 2D Geometric Shapes

A circle, triangle, square, rectangle, and pentagon are all examples of two-dimensional shapes. 

Two Dimensional Shapes

Properties of 2D Shapes

Let’s learn 2D shapes names and 2D shapes attributes and properties:

Triangle:

It has three straight sides, three angles, and three vertices.

Triangle

Square:

It has four sides, four equal angles each measuring 90°. It has four vertices.

Square

Rectangle:

It has four sides, four vertices, and four angles each measuring 90°. The opposite sides of the rectangle are equal in length and they are parallel. 

Rectangle

Parallelogram:

It has two pairs of parallel sides. The opposite sides of the rectangle are equal in length. The opposite angles are of equal measure.

Parallelogram

Rhombus:

It is a special type of quadrilateral whose all sides are equal in length.

Rhombus

Trapezoid:

It has four straight sides with one pair of opposite sides parallel to each other and the other two sides of it are non-parallel.

Trapezoid

Kite:

It has four sides. Sides are grouped into two pairs of equal sides that are adjacent to each other.

Kite

Circle:

It is made up of a curved line. It has no corners or edges. It is the set of all those points in a plane whose distance from a fixed point remains constant.

Circle

Semi-Circle:

A diameter of a circle divides the circle into two equal parts. Each part is called a semi-circle.

Semi-Circle

Formula of 2D Shapes

Formulae of Two-Dimensional Shapes

Difference Between 2D Shapes and 3-D Shapes

Difference Between 2D and 3D Shapes

Fun Fact!
A point is zero-dimensional, while a line is one-dimensional for we can only measure its length. 

Solved Examples on Two Dimensional Shapes

Example 1: Which of the following are 2D shapes?

Circle Sphere Cylinder Pentagon Kite Rhombus

Solution:

Circle Pentagon Kite Rhombus

Example 2: State whether true or false.

  1. A 2D shape has one dimension.
  2. A 2D shape has no thickness.
  3. The circle is an example of a 2D shape.
  4. We can find the volume of a 2D shape.

Solution:

  1. False. A 2D shape has two dimensions: length and width.
  2. True
  3. True
  4. False. A 2D shape has no thickness or depth.

Example 3: Match the 2D shape with its property.

ShapeProperty
(a) Triangle(i) It has no corners and edges.
(b) Square(ii) It has one pair of opposite sides parallel to each other while the other two sides are non-parallel.
(c) Circle(iii) It is a closed figure with three straight sides.
(d) Trapezium(iv) Each of its angles measures 90°.

Solution:

  1. –  (iii)
  2. –  (iv)
  3. –  (i)
  4. –  (ii) 

Example 4: Write the number of sides and vertices (corners) each figure has.

  1. Triangle
  2. Kite
  3. Circle

Solution:

  1. A triangle has 3 sides and 3 vertices.
  2. A kite has 4 sides and 4 vertices.
  3. A circle has 0 sides and 0 vertices.

Practice Problems on Two Dimensional Shapes

2D (Two Dimensional) Shapes - Definition With Examples

Attend this quiz & Test your knowledge.

1

Which 2D shape has 4 sides?

Triangle
Parallelogram
Pentagon
Semicircle
CorrectIncorrect
Correct answer is: Parallelogram
A parallelogram is a 2D shape with 4 sides.
2

The formula $\pi$$r^2$ is used to find the area of which of the following shapes?

Sphere
Circle
Cone
Semicircle
CorrectIncorrect
Correct answer is: Circle
The area of a circle is $\pi$$r^2$.
3

Identify the 2D shapes in the given flag.

2D (Two Dimensional) Shapes – Definition With Examples
Square and Rectangle
Triangle and Square
Triangle and Rectangle
Triangle and Trapezium
CorrectIncorrect
Correct answer is: Triangle and Rectangle
Triangles are the shapes that are blue in color and rectangles are the shapes that are red in color.
4

Which solid shape can be used to trace a square shape?

Cube
Cylinder
Sphere
None of the above
CorrectIncorrect
Correct answer is: Cube
A cube has square faces. So, it can be used to draw a square shape.

Frequently Asked Questions on Two Dimensional Shapes

Understanding the area and perimeter of two-dimensional shapes helps to calculate the floor area and to find the length of fencing of a closed figure.

Regular 2D shapes have all their sides equal in length and the measure of their interior angles are the same.

The sides of irregular 2D shapes are not of equal length and the measure of their interior angles are also not the same.

The length and width of two-dimensional shapes can be measured.

Yes, an oval is a 2D shape as it is a flat plane figure and does not have any thickness.

A point is a zero-dimensional object as it has no length, width, or height. It has no size.

2D shapes help us to recognize 3D objects. Using 2D shapes, we can make nets of 3D shapes, which can then be folded to get a 3D shape.