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Year 3 - Maths

Know that a rectangle is a four-sided polygon with four right angles

Right angles

Unit Summary

In this unit pupils will rotate 2 lines around a fixed point to make different angles. They identify vertices and describe half, quarter and three-quarter turns in terms of right angles.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to identify a rectangle as a four-sided polygon with four right angles.

Key Notes

  • A polygon is a 2D shape made up of 3 or more sides.
  • A rectangle is a 4-sided polygon with 4 right angles.
  • A 4-sided shape with fewer than 4 right angles is not a rectangle.
  • A right angle is marked with a symbol inside the angle.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • Polygon: A polygon is a 2D shape made up of 3 or more straight sides.
  • Rectangle: A rectangle is a 2D shape with four straight sides and four right angles.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils need to look at the interior angles in the shape. They may think that an interior angle of 270° is a right angle.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Solve this in steps: explain the method from this lesson and why each step matters.

A polygon is a 2D shape made up of 3 or more sides. A rectangle is a 4-sided polygon with 4 right angles.

2. Use this key word in a maths sentence and explain it clearly. 'Polygon'

A polygon is a 2D shape made up of 3 or more straight sides. Use this word when showing your method, then check your final answer is reasonable.

3. Spot and fix this common maths mistake.

Mistake: Pupils need to look at the interior angles in the shape. They may think that an interior angle of 270° is a right angle. Correction: Explain to pupils that we need to measure the interior angles of a shape. Show them examples of this (e.g. an arrowhead) to illustrate.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 3 Maths guide library.