Build and Identify Nets of Regular and Irregular 3D Shapes

Welcome net detective, we’ve got just the puzzle for you!

Look at the following 3D shape:

If we unfold it, it could look like this:

We call this a net.

A net is made of 2D shapes which fold together to make a 3D shape.

These nets could also fold together to make a triangular prism:

Let's look at another shape now. 

Imagine that the following net is folded together:

What would it look like?

a)         b)         c)         d)         e) 

Did you choose option d?

This is the only net from these options that can be folded together to make a hexagonal prism, based on a six-sided hexagon 2D shape.

Here’s our hexagonal prism net from before but this time two of the faces have been shaded:

What could this net look like once it’s been folded together?

a)         b)         c)         d)         e) 

It will look like option c!

Can you imagine this net folding together to make option c?

Options a, b and d all have blue faces and our net doesn’t.

Option e has two rectangular faces shaded and our net only has one!

It’s now your turn to visualise folding nets together to see what shape they will make.

Good luck, 3D shape superstar!