Quick—tell me everything you know about pentagon shapes! … Drawing a blank? No worries, in this post I’ll share a free printable pentagon shape as well as a full blown pentagon refresher that covers everything from how many sides does a pentagon have to how to find the area of a pentagon.
When was the last time you thought about pentagon shapes, like really thought about them? Not since your last geometry class, right? Well, that changes today because I’m bringing a free pentagon shape printable template into your life! 😉
In addition to the printable pentagon shape, which can tell you what does a pentagon look like, this post contains an in-depth refresher on pentagons. It covers:
- What is a pentagon shape, including a pentagon definition and how many sides does a pentagon have.
- Basic pentagon geometry including how to find the perimeter of pentagons, how to find the area of pentagons, and how to find the volume of a pentagonal prism.
- Much more!
Now, as cool as all of the pentagon math concepts I’m about to share with you are, they probably won’t impress your really young children. Yep, if you’ve got a preschooler or young elementary student at home, they’ve got a few more years before they have to tackle geometry. (Lucky you!) However that doesn’t mean you can’t put this pentagon shape printable template to good use!
Here are some ways you could use this downloadable picture of a pentagon with young children:
- Create an arts and crafts project that includes drawing or coloring. Later in this post, I’ll show you how to draw a pentagon. And if you want a more detailed coloring sheet that’ll keep kids entertained longer, you can download free printable coloring pages here.
- Create games like scavenger hunts or matching games. Your games don’t have to be limited to pentagon shapes; you can use other shapes, templates, letters, numbers, and more. For instance, you could create a matching game where your child must match the upper and lowercase versions of a letter. (Psst! You can download free printable bubble letters and bubble numbers here.)
Bonus: And there’s more where that came from! Head to the Freebie Finding Mom shop to get my 132-page shapes bundle now!
In this 132-page printable shapes worksheets bundle in the Freebie Finding Mom shop you’ll get printable shape tracing worksheets, matching shapes worksheets, shapes coloring pages, counting shapes worksheets, shape pattern worksheets, printable shapes, 2D shapes charts, and shapes flashcards. If you need preschool shapes worksheets or shapes worksheets for kindergarten, you’ll find that and more here! Snag this incredible shapes bundle now!
Can you think of other fun uses for this pentagon shape printable template? Especially uses for really young children? I’d love to hear your inspiration and ideas in the comments! In the meantime, let’s jump right into what I know you’ve been waiting for … the pentagon shape refresher. 😉
What is a Pentagon Shape
Before we can answer questions like what is the area of pentagon formula or how many lines of symmetry does a pentagon have, let’s start with the basics. Like very basic. Let’s start with a pentagon definition.
Pentagon definition:
A pentagon is a two dimensional closed polygon with five straight sides and five angles. Let’s break that pentagon definition down a little further, shall we?
- How many sides does a pentagon have? Five!
- A pentagon has straight sides (so no curves).
- A pentagon is a closed shape, which means all the sides connect.
- There are five interior angles in a pentagon. (We’ll get to the sum of interior angles of a pentagon a little later.)
- A pentagon can be a regular pentagon or an irregular pentagon.
- A pentagon can be convex or concave.
How many degrees in a pentagon?
Regardless of whether you’re dealing with a regular or irregular pentagon, a convex or concave pentagon, the answer to how many degrees in a pentagon is always the same: 540°.
So if you were asked what is the sum of interior angles of a pentagon, the answer would be 540°. Alternatively if you were trying to find the sum of angles in a pentagon and you know four of the angles but not that last, final angle, you could subtract the four you do know from 540° to find your answer.
What is a regular pentagon?
A regular pentagon is a pentagon where all the sides are equal in length and all of the interior angles are of equal measure. Irregular means that at least one side and one angle are different than the rest.
You know from the section above, “how many degrees in a pentagon,” that the sum of angles in a pentagon is 540°. In a regular pentagon, since all the angles are equal, this must mean that each interior angle measures 108°. (That’s because 108 * 5 = 540.)
What is a pentagon if it’s convex vs. concave?
If we say that a pentagon is convex, that means that all of the vertices point outwards. If we say that a pentagon is concave it means at least one of the vertices points inward. Vertices are just the points where the sides of the pentagon meet, so if all of the points face outward the pentagon is convex; otherwise it is concave.
For an example of a convex pentagon, just scroll down and check out the printable pentagon shape below!
If you were asked to find the sum of interior angles of a pentagon that is concave, the answer would still be 540°. However, by definition, a concave pentagon is irregular, so that means that not all of the angles are equal!
Note: Whether you are dealing with a regular or irregular pentagon or a convex or concave pentagon, the answer to a pentagon has how many sides is always five! The type of pentagon does not matter.
Still not able to summon up a picture of a pentagon? Still wondering what is a pentagon shape? Just scroll down to the printable to see what does a pentagon look like! Just keep in mind that the printable pentagon shape is just one example of what does a pentagon look like. Other pentagons could be irregular or concave!
Download the Printable Pentagon Shape
Guess what? You now know all the basics of pentagon shapes including the definition of a pentagon and a pentagon has how many sides. Let’s celebrate with a printable, the pentagon shape printable template to be specific! This printable demonstrates what does a pentagon look like and is a great visual for demonstrating some of the math concepts (such as the area of pentagons) we’re about to go over, so be sure to download it before continuing.
For an irregular pentagon, the answer will vary based on what the pentagon looks like. Having a picture of a pentagon that you can draw on is always helpful! 🙂
How Many Lines of Symmetry Does a Pentagon Have
Before we get to how many lines of symmetry does a pentagon have, let’s define what a “line of symmetry is.”
A line of symmetry is a line that cuts a shape perfectly in half, meaning that if you were to fold the shape along that line both halves would match exactly.
So in pentagons, lines of symmetry would depend on what kind of pentagon you’re dealing with. In other words, you will need a picture of a pentagon. If you are dealing with a regular pentagon, lines of symmetry are five. However, if you are dealing with an irregular or concave pentagon, lines of symmetry may vary, and the answer may even be zero.
For younger kids, these printable pentagon tracing worksheets may be more their speed.
How to Find the Perimeter of Pentagons
Before we discuss how to find the perimeter of pentagons specifically, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page in terms of what perimeter means. When you’re asked for the perimeter of something, you’re being asked for the measurement of the outside of the object.
For example, how much fencing do you need to enclose your backyard? Well, you don’t fill your backyard with fencing right? The fencing just goes around the outside. In other words, you need to know the perimeter of your yard.
That means when you go to find the perimeter of a pentagon (or any shape), all you have to do is add up the measurement of all of the sides. Yep, that’s it, just a little old fashioned addition!
The formula to calculate the perimeter of pentagons is essentially the same whether they are regular or irregular pentagons, but it is a smidge easier if the pentagon in question is a regular pentagon. If you’re dealing with a regular pentagon, the formula would be: Perimeter = 5 * L
In that formula, “L” stands for the length of one side of your pentagon. Since all five sides of a regular pentagon are the same length, all you need to know is the length of one side and then you multiply that number by five to find the perimeter.
How to Find the Area of Pentagons
Before we get into the area of pentagon formula, let’s make sure we’re clear on what area is. When you’re asked to find the area of an object, whether it’s a pentagon or your backyard, what you’re being asked for is the total space within the object in question.
Going back to our backyard example, let’s say you wanted to put sod down in your backyard. You need to know how much sod you need to cover your entire yard, which means you need to find the area of your yard. The fencing will go around the perimeter, the sod will cover the entire area. If you’re looking at the colored pentagon printable, the part that is colored in is the area.
When it comes to how to find the area of a pentagon, the approach you use will depend on whether you’re dealing with a regular or an irregular pentagon. The area of pentagon formula I’m going to share in this post is for regular pentagons.
For the pentagon area formula, you will need to know the measurement of one side of your pentagon as well as the apothem. Wait, the what? The “apothem” is a line that goes from the center of the pentagon to a side, intersecting that side at a right angle. Once you have those two pieces of information, here’s how to find the area of a pentagon: Area = 5/2 * L * A
Don’t panic! In this area of pentagon formula, “L” stands for the length of one side and the “A” stands for the apothem.
If you are dealing with an irregular pentagon, how you find the area of the pentagon will vary based on what the pentagon looks like. What may help is breaking it down into separate shapes and finding the area of those separate shapes.
What is the Volume of a Pentagonal Prism
Volume is a concept that applies to three dimensional objects, so therefore, we couldn’t technically find the volume of a pentagon since that is a two dimensional shape, but we can find the volume of a pentagonal prism. Volume is how much space is within the object in question. Picture a Mason jar that you’re filling with jelly beans; how many jelly beans can you fit in the jar? In order to answer, you need to know the jar’s volume.
In theory, when you’re finding the volume of a pentagonal prism, you’ll be dealing with an object that has regular pentagons for bases. If so, the formula you’ll use is: Volume = 5/2 * A * L * H
In that formula, “A” stands for the apothem, “L” stands for the length of one of the sides of the pentagons that make up the base of the pentagonal prism, and “H” stands for the height of the prism.
Free Printable 2D Shapes
Whew! Had enough of pentagons? Ready for something new? If so, here are more printable 2D shapes you can download right now!
Download this free printable 2D shapes chart in black and white or this free printable 2D shapes chart in color.
Bonus: You know what this pentagon printable is missing? A little color! You could add the color yourself or you could download this pre-colored pentagon shape printable template.
How Many Triangles Are in a Pentagon
No, this isn’t a trick question. Sometimes, in math classes, you will see the question “how many triangles are in a pentagon.” The answer to the question will vary based on what kind of pentagon it is (regular vs. irregular).
For a regular pentagon, where all sides are equal, the answer to “how many triangles are in a pentagon” is always three. Go ahead, scroll down to the pentagon shape printable template, print it out, and see if you can draw lines to represent the three triangles.
Or if a specific shape caught your eye you can download it here:
- Octagon Shape
- Square Shape
- Hexagon Shape
- Circle Shape
- Rectangle Shape
- Trapezoid Shape
- Oval Shape
- Diamond Shape
- Triangle Shape
Coloring Pages Beyond the Printable Pentagon Shape
Has all of the math in this post got you a little stressed out? No worries; you (and your kid) can unwind by coloring! Coloring can produce a state of relaxation similar to meditating. Here are some free downloads:
Even More Templates
Stay crafty and creative with even more free printable templates!
Letter and Number Printables
Use these letter and number printables to make a homemade matching game or to help your kid master the ABCs and 123s!
- Free printable alphabet calligraphy letters or if it’s more your style a modern calligraphy alphabet.
- Printable number templates including bubble numbers from 0 to 100 and a free printable number stencils set.
How to Draw A Pentagon
Wondering how to draw a pentagon? Snag the printable pentagon shape from this post and trace it! (Check out the video in this post for an example; while the video focuses on how to draw bubble letters letters, the concept is the same for how to draw a pentagon.)
