Plans and elevations
A 3D solid is recorded with three orthographic 2D views. WJEC tests both reading and constructing these views.
The three standard views
- Plan view — the view from directly above (looking straight down).
- Front elevation — the view from the front, looking horizontally at the object.
- Side elevation — the view from one side (usually the left), again horizontal.
All three are drawn to scale and use solid lines for visible edges, dashed lines for hidden edges (rare at GCSE).
Conventions
- Squared paper, units consistent with the solid.
- Each view is a 2D shape — no 3D lines.
- Views are usually arranged: plan top-left, front elevation bottom-left, side elevation bottom-right (BS 8888 first-angle projection). WJEC accepts any clearly labelled arrangement at GCSE.
✦Worked example— Worked example — L-shaped prism
An L-shaped prism made from a 4×4×2 cuboid with a 2×2×2 cube removed from one top corner.
- Plan view: an L-shape (the top surface).
- Front elevation: an L-shape (front face).
- Side elevation: a rectangle (the side is unaffected by the removal in this orientation).
Constructing from views
Given three views, candidates may need to:
- State the solid (e.g. "triangular prism") B1.
- Calculate volume / surface area M1A1.
- Sketch a missing third view from the other two.
Common WJEC patterns
- Match each view to its solid (multi-choice / write a letter).
- Draw the side elevation given the plan and front view.
- Identify whether two views uniquely determine the solid (sometimes they don't — a hidden internal step would not appear).
WJEC exam tip
When constructing views, count cubes (if shown on isometric paper) carefully. The width and depth in the plan must match the width of the front and the side respectively — examiners check these dimensions and award B marks for self-consistent views, even if the original solid is misinterpreted.
AI-generated · claude-opus-4-7 · v3-wjec-maths-leaves