The home plate in baseball is a five-sided rubber plate that is used as a base for the catcher and the batter. Each of its sides are 17 inches long, and two of the opposing sides form a straight line that corresponds to the pitcher's rubber. The other three sides of the plate are angled inward, forming a point at the front of the plate. The home plate is an essential component of a baseball field and is used to score runs, determine strikes and balls, and mark the boundaries of the batter's box.