2D (Two Dimensional) Shapes – Definition With Examples

What Are Two Dimensional Shapes? 

A two-dimensional (2D) shape can be defined as a flat figure or a shape that has two dimensions—length 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. 

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.

Square:

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

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. 

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.

Rhombus:

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

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.

Kite:

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

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.

Semi-Circle:

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

Formula of 2D Shapes

Difference Between 2D Shapes and 3-D Shapes

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

Solved Examples

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.

Shape	Property
(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

Frequently Asked Questions