Understanding Projections: Flattening 3D Objects
What is a Projection?
A projection is like taking a picture or tracing the shadow of a 3D object onto a flat surface. It shows what you see when you look at an object from one direction and flatten that view onto paper!
Think About Shadows!
Have you ever made shadow puppets on a wall? When you shine a flashlight on your hand, you see a flat shadow on the wall. That shadow is a projection of your 3D hand onto the flat wall!
The same thing happens with any object:
- The object is 3D (has length, width, and height)
- The shadow or picture is 2D (flat, like on paper)
- The projection shows the outline or shape you see from one direction
The Three Main Projections
When we look at a 3D object, we can see it from different directions. The three most important projections are: