Plans and elevations are ways of drawing a 3D object as a 2D drawing.
The key is to understand which direction you are looking at the object from.
The three views
3D view
Shows the object in three dimensions, so you can see its shape and depth.
Plan — view from above
Imagine looking straight down at the object from the sky.
Front elevation — view from the front
Imagine standing in front of the object and looking straight at it.
Side elevation — view from the side
Imagine standing at the side and looking straight at the object.
2. An easy way to remember
| View | What you see | Measurements shown |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | From above | Length and width |
| Front elevation | From the front | Length and height |
| Side elevation | From the side | Width and height |
Remember: the height disappears from the plan because you are looking down from above.
Worked example
Imagine a cuboid with these dimensions:
- Length = 4 cm
- Width = 2 cm
- Height = 3 cm
The three drawings would look like this:
Plan
Length × width
Front elevation
Length × height
Side elevation
Width × height
The important thing is that each drawing shows only two dimensions.
GCSE tip: If you get stuck, write down the direction first — above, front or side — then choose the two dimensions you can see.