Counting and describing faces, edges, and vertices of 3D shapes.
Where your child meets this in real life: Describing 3D objects precisely, understanding packaging design
Each SEAG paper has 28 maths questions. Questions 29 to 50 are multiple choice with five possible answers, and questions 51 to 56 need a short written answer. With 56 questions in 60 minutes across English and maths, that is about a minute per question.
SEAGReady breaks describe 3d shape properties into 3 steps, taught in order so each skill builds on the last.
Count faces, edges, and vertices of shapes with all flat surfaces (cubes, cuboids, prisms, pyramids)
Describe flat faces, curved surfaces, curved edges, and vertices of cylinders, cones, and spheres using explicit terminology
Given an unambiguous description of flat faces, curved surfaces, edges, and vertices, identify the 3D shape
Try three free questions from our describe 3d shape properties course. They start easy and get harder, so you can see where your child's confidence runs out. If they manage the last one without a hint, this topic is probably secure. If not, the steps above show where to start.
Poppy is describing a cereal box for her homework. How many faces does a cuboid have?
Jack needs to describe all the properties of a cylinder for a class quiz. Which statement is precise and correct?
Jack says: 'I am thinking of a shape with the same number of flat faces as vertices.' Which of these shapes matches?
This is the exact interactive worked example your child sees in SEAGReady. Step through it and watch the method build up.
A rectangular box is being described precisely.
How many faces, edges, and vertices does a cuboid have?
Faces are flat surfaces. Count the top, bottom, front, back, left and right.
6 faces
Step 1 of 3
A rectangular box is being described precisely.
How many faces, edges, and vertices does a cuboid have?
A cuboid has 6 faces, 12 edges, and 8 vertices.
The key insight: Face, edge, vertex - think flat surface, line where they meet, corner point!
Common mix-up: A cuboid has 6 faces, 6 edges, and 6 vertices. Confusing edges with faces - there are more edges (12) than faces (6) on a cuboid.
These are the misconceptions we see most often in describe 3d shape properties, including the ones our practice questions are specifically designed to catch.
Struggling with describe 3d shape properties? The real gap is often in one of these earlier topics.
Sitting the SEAG test this November? Read our last-month revision plan, Paper 1 vs Paper 2 and test day guide.
SEAGReady finds the exact step where your child gets stuck, teaches it with worked examples like the one above, and brings it back for review so it sticks.
Free to start · no card needed