Difference between revisions of "Polyhedron"
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| − | A '''polyhedron''' is a three dimensional shape which is bounded by [[polygon]]s. | + | A '''polyhedron''' is a three dimensional shape which is bounded by regular [[polygon]]s. |
[[Image:PlatonicSolids.jpg|right|600px|thumb|The five regular convex polyhedra, also known as the Platonic Solids]] | [[Image:PlatonicSolids.jpg|right|600px|thumb|The five regular convex polyhedra, also known as the Platonic Solids]] | ||
Revision as of 19:09, August 23, 2007
A polyhedron is a three dimensional shape which is bounded by regular polygons.
A regular polyhedron is a polyhedron all of whose faces are identical regular polygons, and all of whose vertices have the same number of faces around each vertex. There are only five regular convex polyhedrons—polyhedrons in which the all of the faces are on the outside of the polyhedron.[1]. They are:
- The tetrahedron ("tetra-" meaning "four")
- The cube or hexahedron ("hexa-" meaning "six")
- The octahedron ("octa-" meaning "eight")
- The dodecahedron ("dodeca-" meaning "twelve")
- The icosahedron ("icosa-" meaning "twenty")
Role-playing games often use dice in the shape of octohedra, dodecahedra, and icosahedra, as well as traditional cubical dice.
Because the dodecahedron has twelve sides, decorative calendars are sometimes made in the shape of a dodecahedron, with one month printed on each face.
Notes
For a full description of polyhedra see: http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Polyhedron.html
- ↑ As opposed to four "star polyhedra" in which the "faces" of the polyhedron slice into the polyhedron