Naming 2D Shapes: Squares and Rectangles

2D shapes are flat objects. You can think of them as shapes you could cut out of a flat piece of paper.

Here are some important 2D shapes you need to be able to recognise and name:

A square and a rectangle look very similar but it is important to know the difference between them when identifying shapes.

• Squares have 4 sides that are all equal or all the same size.
• Rectangles have 4 sides that are not all equal. One pair of sides is longer than the other pair of sides.

Below are some examples of squares you may have come across in everyday life.

Remember that for a shape to be a square all of its 4 sides must be equal.

Below are some examples of rectangles you may have come across in everyday life.

Remember the 4 sides of a rectangle aren’t equal.