What is important to know about Plans & elevations?

Plan view: looking straight down from above.

What is important to know about Plans & elevations?

Front elevation: looking horizontally from the front.

What is important to know about Plans & elevations?

Side elevation: looking horizontally from the side.

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Geometry & Measures · Foundation & Higher

Plans & elevations

A plan is the view from directly above. A front elevation is the view from the front, and a side elevation is the view from the side. You must be able to draw and interpret plans and elevations of 3D solids on squared paper.

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Key facts to remember

1Plan view: looking straight down from above.
2Front elevation: looking horizontally from the front.
3Side elevation: looking horizontally from the side.
4Hidden edges can be shown with dashed lines.
5Each view is a 2D drawing — lengths are preserved.

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Worked examples

Example 1

A solid is made from 4 identical cubes arranged in an L-shape: three cubes in a row, with one extra cube on top of the leftmost cube. Describe the plan view.

Working

From above, you see the three cubes in a row — a 3×1 rectangle.
The top cube sits on top of the leftmost cube, so it does not change the plan view.
Plan view = 3 × 1 rectangle.

AnswerA 3 × 1 row of three squares.

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Common mistakes

✗Confusing the plan with the front elevation.

✗Missing edges when two shapes share a face.

✗Not lining the three views up beside each other.

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Exam tips

✓Always label each view: Plan, Front elevation, Side elevation.

✓Use a ruler and draw on squared paper.

✓Keep the same scale for all three views.

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