Polygon facts for kids

A polygon is a flat, closed shape. It is made up of straight lines joined end to end. Think of it like drawing a shape on a piece of paper without lifting your pencil, and making sure the drawing ends where it started. Polygons always have three or more sides.

For example, a square is a polygon because it has four straight sides that connect. The simplest polygon you can make on a flat surface is a triangle, which has three sides.

Some different kinds of polygons.

What is a Polygon?

A polygon is a two-dimensional shape. This means it's flat, like a drawing on paper, not a 3D object like a ball. Its sides are called edges, and the points where the edges meet are called vertices (or corners).

Simple vs. Complex Polygons

Polygons can be simple or complex.

• A simple polygon is one where its edges do not cross each other. Imagine drawing a star without lifting your pencil. If the lines cross, it's complex. If they don't, it's simple.
• A complex polygon (also called a self-intersecting polygon) has edges that cross over each other.

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  A simple hexagon. Its sides do not cross.

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  A complex pentagon. Its sides cross each other.

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  You can use polygons to create pictures, like this face!

Polygons in Computer Graphics

Polygons are super important in computer graphics. When you play a video game or watch an animated movie, the characters and objects you see are often made up of thousands, or even millions, of tiny polygons.

• Game designers use polygons, especially triangles, to build 3D models.
• These polygons are then colored and textured to look realistic.
• The more polygons an object has, the smoother and more detailed it looks.

Polygons in the Real World

You can find polygons everywhere around you!

• A stop sign is an octagon, which is a polygon with eight sides.
• The tiles on a floor might be squares or hexagons.
• Even the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland has amazing natural rock formations that look like columns made of polygons.

Images for kids

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  Historical image of polygons from 1699.

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  The Giant's Causeway, showing natural polygon shapes.

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  A robot made of simple shapes, including polygons.