NCERT Solutions Class 4 Maths Chapter 1 Shapes Around Us

Shapes Around Us helps students identify 3D shapes, angles, nets, circles and patterns from daily objects.
These NCERT Solutions explain Chapter 1 activities on models, buildings, cubes, prisms, pyramids and circles.

Shapes Around Us begins with Diksha’s visit to Delhi and her model of India Gate using wooden blocks. The chapter asks students to observe monuments, boxes, bottles, cans, straws, dot grids, dice and classroom objects. It builds geometry through touch, folding, sorting, drawing and making. NCERT Solutions Class 4 Maths Chapter 1 help students answer activity-based questions on 3D shapes, prisms, pyramids, nets, angles, right angles, acute angles, obtuse angles, radius, diameter and shape patterns for 2026-27 learning.

Key Takeaways

• 3D shapes: Cubes, cuboids, prisms, pyramids, cones, cylinders and spheres have different faces.
• Nets: A net is a flat shape that folds into a solid object.
• Angles: Right, acute and obtuse angles appear in letters, buildings and classroom objects.
• Circle: Radius goes from centre to boundary, and diameter passes through the centre.

NCERT Solutions Class 4 Maths Chapter 1 Structure 2026-27

Try to Make a Model

The first activity in Class 4 Maths Chapter 1 Shapes Around Us asks students to make monument models. It connects real buildings with blocks, boxes and solid shapes.

1. What parts of the building have you shown in your model?

Answer: I have shown the base, pillars, arch, roof and side walls in my model.

These parts help the model look like the real building.

2. Why did you select these parts?

Answer: I selected these parts because they are easy to notice.

The base gives support.

The pillars and arch show the main shape of India Gate.

The roof helps complete the building model.

3. What shapes will model these parts well?

Answer: Cuboids can model the base, pillars and roof.

A curved or cut-out shape can model the arch.

Small cubes can be used for blocks and steps.

4. How is your model similar to the picture of the real building?

Answer: My model is similar because it has a base, two side pillars and an arch.

It also stands upright like the real monument.

5. How is it different from the real building?

Answer: My model is smaller and simpler than the real building.

It does not have carvings, exact colours, height or detailed stonework.

Discussion: What would happen if you removed one piece of your model?

Answer: The model may become weak or incomplete.

If a pillar is removed, the model may fall.

If a small top block is removed, it may still stand.

The model can be improved by adding more blocks, colours and details.

Qutub Minar Model

NCERT Solutions for Class 4 Maths Chapter 1 Shapes Around Us include model-making questions. The Qutub Minar activity helps students connect monuments with solid shapes.

Do you think it looks like the Qutub Minar?

Answer: Yes, it looks like the Qutub Minar if the model is tall and narrow.

It should have many levels like a tower.

What shape would you use if you made a model of the Qutub Minar? Why?

Answer: I would use cylinders or cone-like shapes.

The Qutub Minar is tall, round and tower-like.

Cylinders can show its storeys clearly.

How many such shapes will you use?

Answer: I can use five cylinder-like shapes.

The Qutub Minar has five storeys.

Prisms, Pyramids and Nets

This section in Shapes Around Us Class 4 questions and answers teaches children how solids are made from faces. It also shows how a flat net folds into a box.

Is a cube also a prism?

Answer: Yes, a cube is also a prism.

A cube has the same square face on opposite sides.

It is a special square prism.

What is the difference between a prism and a pyramid?

Answer: A prism has two same opposite faces.

Its side faces are usually rectangles.

A pyramid has one base.

Its triangular faces meet at one point.

What shape of face is common to all the prisms?

Answer: Rectangular faces are common to prisms.

A prism also has two same opposite faces.

What other shapes do these prisms have?

Answer: Prisms may have triangular, square or hexagonal faces.

These faces depend on the type of prism.

What shape of face is common to all the pyramids?

Answer: Triangular faces are common to all pyramids.

All the triangular faces meet at which point?

Answer: All triangular faces meet at one top point.

This point is called the vertex.

Identify any other shape in each pyramid.

Answer: A square pyramid has a square base.

A triangular pyramid has a triangular base.

A pentagonal pyramid has a pentagonal base.

Faces, Corners and Edges

3D shapes class 4 maths questions often ask students to count faces, corners and edges. These answers help students fill the table correctly.

Sort 3D shapes by the number of flat faces.

Sort 3D shapes by the number of straight edges.

What relationship do you notice between faces, corners and edges?

Answer: For many solid shapes:

F + V - E = 2

Here, F means faces, V means corners, and E means edges.

Example for cube:

F = 6, V = 8, E = 12

F + V - E = 6 + 8 - 12

F + V - E = 2

Can you construct a 3D shape with 3 flat faces?

Answer: A solid with only 3 flat faces is not possible using only closed flat faces.

A closed solid needs enough faces to enclose space.

Let Us Observe

This part of Class 4 Maths Chapter 1 question answers checks opposite and adjacent faces. Students can use a die or cube to observe faces.

What is the face opposite to face numbered 2?

Answer: In a standard die, face numbered 5 is opposite to face numbered 2.

What is the face opposite to face numbered 3?

Answer: In a standard die, face numbered 4 is opposite to face numbered 3.

What is the face opposite to face numbered 4?

Answer: In a standard die, face numbered 3 is opposite to face numbered 4.

Which faces have common edges with face numbered 1?

Answer: Faces 2, 3, 4 and 5 have common edges with face 1.

Which face has no common edge with face numbered 1?

Answer: Face 6 has no common edge with face 1.

It is opposite to face 1.

What colour is opposite to the red face?

Answer: This depends on the cube used in class.

Students should look at the cube and write the opposite colour.

What colour is opposite to the yellow face?

Answer: This also depends on the cube used.

Students should rotate the cube and observe the opposite face.

Sorting 3D Shapes

NCERT Solutions Class 4 Maths Shapes Around Us help students sort shapes using faces and edges. Some shapes can belong to more than one group.

Shapes with curved edges

Answer: Cone and cylinder have curved edges.

Shapes with straight edges

Answer: Cube, cuboid, prism and pyramid have straight edges.

Shapes with rectangular faces

Answer: Cube, cuboid and rectangular prism have rectangular faces.

Shapes with triangular faces

Answer: Triangular pyramid, square pyramid and triangular prism have triangular faces.

Shapes with both rectangular and triangular faces

Answer: Triangular prism has rectangular and triangular faces.

In which circle did you write triangular prism?

Answer: Triangular prism belongs in both groups.

It has triangular faces and rectangular faces.

In which circle did you write rectangular pyramid?

Answer: Rectangular pyramid belongs in groups with triangular faces and rectangular base.

Its side faces are triangles.

Build with Cubes

Cube towers help students count hidden and visible cubes. Students can build them with blocks from the Jaadui Pitara Kit.

How many cubes are there in each cube tower?

Answer: Count every visible cube first.

Then check if any cube is hidden behind or below another cube.

The total number depends on the tower shown in the textbook picture.

Can you complete the following cubes?

Answer: Yes, the missing edges can be drawn by joining matching points.

The top, side and front faces should look like parts of the same cube.

Match Pictures to Descriptions

These answers cover common solids from the description activity. Students should match each description with the correct 3D shape.

(a) I have 5 faces and 5 corners. I have 8 edges. One face is a square and four faces are triangles.

Answer: Square pyramid.

(b) I have 1 flat face, 1 curved face, and 1 edge.

Answer: Cone.

(c) I have 1 curved face. I have no edges or corners.

Answer: Sphere.

(d) I have 2 flat faces, 1 curved face, and 2 edges. I have no corners.

Answer: Cylinder.

(e) I have 5 faces, 6 corners, and 9 edges. Two faces are triangles.

Answer: Triangular prism.

(f) I have 6 faces, 12 edges, and 8 corners.

Answer: Cube or cuboid.

Nets and Solids

A net is a flat arrangement of faces that can be folded into a solid. Students should match each net by counting faces and checking their shapes.

Which net can make a cube?

Answer: A cube net has 6 equal square faces.

The squares must be connected so they fold without overlapping.

Which net can make a triangular prism?

Answer: A triangular prism net has 2 triangles and 3 rectangles.

Which net can make a square pyramid?

Answer: A square pyramid net has 1 square and 4 triangles.

Which solid has pieces with triangles and rectangles?

Answer: A triangular prism has triangular and rectangular pieces.

It has 2 triangular faces and 3 rectangular faces.

When Lines Meet

Angles class 4 maths questions begin with lines meeting at a point. The chapter uses straws, drawings, letters and yoga postures to show angles.

How many angles are there in the boat drawing?

Answer: Count every place where two lines meet.

Each meeting point forms an angle.

The answer depends on the exact boat drawing in the textbook.

Where do you see angles in the classroom?

Answer: Angles can be seen in books, windows, doors, desks, blackboards and floor tiles.

The corners of a notebook also show angles.

What is an angle?

Answer: An angle is formed when two lines meet at a point.

The meeting point is called a corner or vertex.

Right Angles

A right angle is like the corner of a book or notebook. Students can make a right-angle checker by folding paper.

Name objects where you find right angles.

Answer: Right angles can be found in:

• Book corners
• Window corners
• Door corners
• Blackboard corners
• Table corners
• Floor tiles

Draw some right angles on the dot grid.

Answer: Students should draw two lines meeting like an L shape.

Each L-shaped corner shows a right angle.

Acute and Obtuse Angles

Acute angles are smaller than right angles. Obtuse angles are larger than right angles.

Name classroom objects that have an acute angle.

Answer: An open pair of scissors may show an acute angle.

A sharp pencil tip may also show an acute angle.

Name classroom objects that have an obtuse angle.

Answer: A widely opened book may show an obtuse angle.

A clock hand position can also form an obtuse angle.

Identify all angles in letters.

Answer: Letters like A, K, M, N, V, W, X and Y have angles.

Students should mark every place where two straight lines meet.

Shapes with Straws

This activity shows that some shapes are more rigid than others. Students use straws and clay to build triangles, rectangles, squares and pentagons.

Does the shape of a triangle change if we gently push one side?

Answer: No, the triangle usually keeps its shape.

A triangle is a rigid shape.

What kinds of angles does a triangle have?

Answer: A triangle may have acute, right or obtuse angles.

It depends on the shape of the triangle.

What kinds of angles do you see in a rectangle?

Answer: A rectangle has four right angles.

Does a rectangle change shape if pushed gently?

Answer: Yes, a rectangle can change shape when pushed.

Its angles may stop being right angles.

Are the angles still right angles after pushing a rectangle?

Answer: No, they may become acute and obtuse angles.

What happens when one side of a square is pushed?

Answer: The square may become a slanting shape.

Its right angles may change into acute and obtuse angles.

How are angles of triangles and rectangles different?

Answer: A rectangle has four right angles.

A triangle may have different types of angles.

A triangle is more rigid than a rectangle.

Circles, Radius and Diameter

Circle radius diameter class 4 questions help students understand circles through folding, drawing and measuring.

Can you make a circle using straws?

Answer: No, it is difficult to make a circle using straight straws.

Straws make straight sides, but a circle has a curved boundary.

What happens if straws are unequal in length?

Answer: The shape will not look regular.

It may become uneven or slanting.

Can you use a scale to draw a circular shape?

Answer: A scale can help mark points at equal distance from a centre.

But a compass makes a circle more easily.

What do you get when you connect points equally far from point A?

Answer: You get a circle-like shape.

Point A is the centre of the circle.

What is the radius of a circle?

Answer: Radius is the line from the centre to the boundary of a circle.

What is the diameter of a circle?

Answer: Diameter is a line that passes through the centre.

It joins two points on the boundary of the circle.

Are all diameters of a circle equal?

Answer: Yes, all diameters of the same circle are equal.

What is the relation between radius and diameter?

Answer: Diameter is double the radius.

Radius is half of the diameter.

Formula:

Diameter = 2 × Radius

Radius = Diameter / 2

Puzzling Shapes

Puzzling Shapes helps students find hidden shapes, divide shapes and compare wheels by radius and diameter.

Look at the wheels. All wheels look like what?

Answer: All wheels look like circles.

Which wheel has the longest radius?

Answer: The largest wheel has the longest radius.

Students should compare the distance from centre to boundary.

Which wheel has the shortest radius?

Answer: The smallest wheel has the shortest radius.

Which wheel has the longest diameter?

Answer: The largest wheel has the longest diameter.

Which wheel has the shortest diameter?

Answer: The smallest wheel has the shortest diameter.

Draw 2 lines to divide a triangle into 1 square and 2 triangles.

Answer: Students should draw lines from suitable points to form one square inside the triangle.

The remaining parts should form two triangles.

Draw 2 lines to divide a square into 3 triangles.

Answer: Draw two lines from one corner to two opposite points.

This can divide the square into three triangles.

Card Game

The card game asks students to sort 2D shape cards by their sides. It builds early classification skills.

How can you sort 2D shapes by sides?

Answer: Shapes can be sorted by the number of sides.

Triangles have 3 sides.

Quadrilaterals have 4 sides.

Pentagons have 5 sides.

Hexagons have 6 sides.

What relation do you notice between sides and angles?

Answer: A closed shape usually has the same number of sides and angles.

A triangle has 3 sides and 3 angles.

A square has 4 sides and 4 angles.

A pentagon has 5 sides and 5 angles.

Let Us Try

This section uses spider webs, matchsticks and angle classification. It connects shape puzzles with counting and path tracing.

Can Squiggly begin at point A and return to A without walking on any wall more than once?

Answer: Students should trace the path carefully.

If every path can be used once and the route returns to A, it is possible.

If any wall must be repeated, it is not possible.

Use 5 matchsticks to make 2 triangles.

Answer: Make two triangles sharing one side.

This uses 5 matchsticks because the common side is counted once.

Move two matchsticks to form 4 triangles.

Answer: Students should rearrange two matchsticks so smaller triangles share sides.

This creates more triangles without adding sticks.

Model challenge: 12 straws and 8 clay balls

Answer: This can make a cube or cuboid.

It has 12 edges and 8 corners.

Model challenge: 9 straws and 6 clay balls

Answer: This can make a triangular prism.

It has 9 edges and 6 corners.

Model challenge: 15 straws and 10 clay balls

Answer: This can make a pentagonal prism.

It has 15 edges and 10 corners.

Model challenge: 10 straws and 6 clay balls

Answer: This can make a pentagonal pyramid.

It has 10 edges and 6 corners.

NCERT Solutions Class 4 Maths Shapes Around Us: Chapter Skills

NCERT Solutions Class 4 Maths Shapes Around Us should help students observe, build and compare shapes. The chapter teaches geometry through daily objects and classroom activities.

Observation

Students observe buildings, boxes, bottles, dice and wheels.

This helps them identify shapes in real life.

Making Models

Students use blocks, straws, clay and paper nets.

This helps them understand faces, edges and corners.

Sorting

Students sort shapes by curved faces, flat faces, edges and angles.

This builds classification skills.

Drawing

Students draw cubes, angles, circles and shape divisions.

This improves spatial thinking.

Measuring

Students compare radius and diameter through folding and measuring.

This builds early geometry understanding.

Useful Links for Class 4 Maths