3D Shape Nets Generator
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Pick a solid and its size, and get a net you can print, cut out and fold. Every net is built from the real solid, so the faces always fit together and the lengths match.
Nets of 3D Shapes
Cut along the solid lines, fold along the dashed lines, and glue the tabs to build the shape.
Cube: side 4 (cm)
Printed at 98% of true size so it fits on a page.
Solid lines: cut. Dashed lines: fold. Gray tabs: glue.
| Faces | Edges | Vertices | Surface area (cm²) | Volume (cm³) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Nets of 3D Shapes — Answer Key
Faces 6 • Edges 12 • Vertices 8
Surface area ≈ 96 cm² • Volume ≈ 64 cm³
Surface area is the sum of the areas of every face in the net.
Quick check: try a few questions online
A cube has edges that are 6 cm long. What is its surface area?
Correct answer: 216 cm². A cube has 6 square faces. Each face has area 6 × 6 = 36 cm², so the surface area is 6 × 36 = 216 cm². Volume would be 216 cm³, which measures space inside, not covering.
The net of a square pyramid is made of which faces?
Correct answer: 1 square and 4 triangles. A square pyramid has one square base and four triangular faces that meet at the top, so its net has 1 square and 4 triangles.
A triangular prism net has two triangles. How many rectangles does it have?
Correct answer: 3. Each side of the triangle has a matching rectangle on the prism, and a triangle has 3 sides. So the net has 3 rectangles and 2 triangles, which makes 5 faces.
Pick an answer for each question.
About this tool
A net is what a three-dimensional shape looks like when you cut it along some edges and flatten it out. Building nets is one of the best ways to understand surface area, because the flat pieces are exactly the faces you add up.
This generator does the geometry for you. It starts with the solid itself, unfolds it along a chosen set of edges, and checks that no two faces overlap. Dashed lines are folds, solid lines are cuts, and gray tabs show where to glue. The printed net is at true size when it fits on a page and is scaled down evenly when it does not.
Cubes come with all eleven different nets. A second worksheet type shows patterns of six squares and asks which ones fold into a cube. Every pattern is tested with a folding simulation, and the answer key shows which two squares collide when one will not fold.
How to use it
- Choose Print a net to cut and fold, then pick a solid and a size. Use Custom to type your own measurements.
- For a cube, pick one of the 11 nets. For other solids, choose the most compact layout or a different valid one.
- Turn glue tabs on or off, and turn on measurements if you want students to check lengths.
- Print the page. If the net is shown at true size, a ruler held against it will match the dimensions.
- Switch to Is it a cube net? for a classroom quiz. Show the answer key to see why a pattern fails.
Surface area from a net
The surface area of a solid equals the area of its net. For a rectangular prism that measures 5 by 3 by 4, the net has two 5 by 3 rectangles, two 5 by 4 rectangles and two 3 by 4 rectangles. Their areas are 15, 15, 20, 20, 12 and 12, which add up to 94 square units.
For a cylinder, the curved side unrolls into a rectangle. Its width is the circumference of the circle, 2πr, which is why the net looks wider than you might expect.
Common questions
How many nets does a cube have?
A cube has 11 different nets. Turning or flipping a net does not make a new one. The generator can print each of the 11, and the quiz mode includes patterns that look like cube nets but are not.
Will the net print at the right size?
Yes, when it fits. Nets that are larger than a sheet are scaled down evenly, and the page tells you the percentage. Print at 100 percent, with no fit-to-page option turned on in your print window.
Which solids are included?
Cube, rectangular prism, triangular prism with a right triangle base, square pyramid, rectangular pyramid, regular tetrahedron, cylinder and cone.
Why do some nets have fewer glue tabs?
A tab is left out when it would overlap another face of the net. The tabs that remain are enough to hold the shape together.
What are the faces, edges and vertices of each solid?
A cube and rectangular prism have 6 faces, 12 edges and 8 vertices. A triangular prism has 5, 9 and 6. A square pyramid has 5, 8 and 5. A tetrahedron has 4, 6 and 4.
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