Projections and elevations of 3D shapes

In a nutshell

Projections are different ways to look at a 3D shape. There are three types of projections: front elevation, side elevation and plan.

Types of projections

There are three types of projections you need to know:

Front elevation: The view when you're standing directly in front of the shape.

Side elevation: The view when you're standing to one side of the shape.

Plan: The view when you're looking at the shape from directly above.

Maths; Shapes and area; KS4 Year 10; Projections and elevations of 3D shapes

Drawing projections

You need to be able to draw the different projections of a 3D shape. The sketch will always be 2D, and is always accurate to the shape. This means that the number of blocks or the lengths of the shape in the sketch must be consistent with the actual shape.

Example 1

Sketch the three projections for the shape above.

FRONT ELEVATION	SIDE ELEVATION	PLAN

Make sure that the sketches are all 2D, and that the dimensions and lengths are correct.

Note: There is no indicator of depth when sketching elevations. This means that although some parts of the shape are further away than others, the blocks are all drawn to be the same size.