What Is a Rectangle?
A rectangle is a shape with four straight sides and four corners. Its opposite sides are equal in length.
This is a rectangle.
Learning Objectives
- Recognise a rectangle.
- Count the four sides of a rectangle.
- Count the four corners.
- Identify rectangle-shaped objects.
- Understand the basic difference between a square and rectangle.
Sides of a Rectangle
A rectangle has four sides. The two longer sides are equal to each other, and the two shorter sides are equal to each other.
4 sides + 4 corners = rectangle
Rectangle-Shaped Objects
- A book
- A door
- A mobile phone
- A television screen
- A notebook
Square and Rectangle
Both shapes have four sides and four corners. A square has four equal sides, while a rectangle has two pairs of equal opposite sides.
Common Mistakes
- Do not call every four-sided shape a square.
- Look at the lengths of the sides.
- A rectangle has four corners.
Practice
1. How many sides does a rectangle have?
2. How many corners does a rectangle have?
3. Name one rectangle-shaped object.
4. Which has four equal sides: a square or a rectangle?
Try It Yourself
Find three rectangular objects around you. Check how many sides and corners each object has.
Quick Revision
- A rectangle has 4 sides.
- A rectangle has 4 corners.
- Opposite sides are equal.
- Books and doors can look like rectangles.
Next Step
Next, we will learn about the triangle and discover how its three sides make it different from the shapes we have already learned.