Classification of Prisms and Pyramids

Prisms and pyramids are 3D shapes defined by their base. A rectangular prism has a rectangular base (and 6 rectangular faces total). A triangular prism has a triangular base. A pyramid has any polygon as a base, with triangular faces meeting at an apex. The key classification is base shape: the base names the prism or pyramid. Quadrilateral classification deepens the understanding of polygon attributes: a square is a special rectangle which is a special parallelogram which is a special quadrilateral.