Visualise Rotating and Joining Irregular 2D Shapes

Prepare to be a 2D shape builder!

 

Look at the shapes below:

 

 

In this question type, we need to join these three shapes together to make a new shape.

 

Matching letters have to touch, so, in this example, both the sides labelled a have to be touching each other and both the sides labelled b have to be touching each other.

 

Which of the following options would the new shape look like?

 

a)         b)         c) 

 

The correct answer is c, as the triangle moves to the right of the rectangle and the trapezium goes on top of the rectangle.

 

 

Let’s try another question now.

This time it is more challenging, as the shape can rotate.

 

 

The trick is to imagine joining all of the shapes together, and then try rotating the entire new shape, to see if it matches one of the options.

 

Here are the possible options:

 

a)         b)         c) 

 

If we join all of the shapes together, without rotating them, it would look like this:

 

 

As this doesn’t match any of the options, let’s try rotating it to see if we can match it to anything.

 

If it is rotated a quarter turn in an anti-clockwise direction, it looks exactly like option b - bingo!

 

So the correct answer is b.

It’s now your turn to join shapes together.

 

Pssstt!! Here’s a handy hint to help you reach superstar status: remember to join the shapes first and then try to rotate your new shape to match one of the options.

 

Good luck 2D shape builder!