Shape Analogy
Analogies: Shape Analogy
Shape Analogy
Shape Analogy
What you'll learn
- Match a shape to its number of sides.
- Complete analogies like "Triangle is to 3 sides as Square is to ?".
- Remember side counts for common shapes without needing pictures.
Key concepts
Level 1 — Core idea
Verbal: A Triangle has 3 sides. A Square has 4 sides. A Pentagon has 5 sides. Each shape's name is linked to a fixed number of sides.
Symbolic: Shape : Sides — Triangle:3, Square:4, Pentagon:5, Hexagon:6, Heptagon:7, Octagon:8.
Visual: Picture walking around the edge of each shape and counting every straight turn you make — that count is the number of sides.
Level 2 — Going deeper
Shape names often hint at the number: "Pent-" means five, "Hex-" means six, "Oct-" means eight (like an octopus has 8 legs!). Using these clues helps you recall side counts quickly.
NCERT anchor
NCERT Math Mela, Class 3 — Shapes and Patterns — naming shapes and counting their sides and corners is the foundation for this analogy skill.
Worked example
Triangle is to 3 sides as Pentagon is to ? sides
Step 1 — A Triangle has 3 sides.
Step 2 — A Pentagon has 5 sides (Pent- means five).
Answer: 5
Square is to 4 sides as Hexagon is to ? sides
Step 1 — A Square has 4 sides.
Step 2 — A Hexagon has 6 sides (Hex- means six).
Answer: 6
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Why | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Mixing up Pentagon and Hexagon | Similar-sounding prefixes | Remember Pent-=5, Hex-=6 |
| Forgetting Octagon has 8 sides | Less common shape | Link it to an octopus's 8 legs |
| Confusing Rectangle with Pentagon | Rushed recall | Rectangle is a 4-sided shape like a Square |
| Counting corners instead of sides | Mixing up terms | For these simple shapes, sides and corners are the same count |
Quick check
- Square is to 4 sides as Triangle is to ? sides
- Hexagon is to 6 sides as Octagon is to ? sides
- Pentagon is to 5 sides as Heptagon is to ? sides
- Stretch: Rectangle is to 4 sides as Hexagon is to ? sides
Revision tip: Use the name clue: Tri-=3, Quad-/Rect-/Square-=4, Pent-=5, Hex-=6, Hept-=7, Oct-=8.
Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Shape Analogy.
Key Takeaways (TL;DR)
- What you'll learn
- Key concepts
- Worked example
- Common mistakes
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