A regular polygon is a polygon with all

sides congruent and all angles

congruent such as equilateral triangle,
square, regular pentagon, regular
hexagon,

By a (convex) regular polyhedron we mean a

polyhedron with the properties that
All its faces are congruent regular polygons.
The arrangements of polygons about the vertices

The regular polyhedra are the bestknown polyhedra that have connected
numerous disciplines such as astronomy,
philosophy, and art through the
centuries.
They are known as the Platonic solids.

Regular Convex (Platonic) Solids

Tetrahedron
(Triangular Pyramid)
5

Source: Wikapedia

Regular Convex (Platonic) Solids

Hexahedron
(Cube)
6

Regular Convex (Platonic) Solids

Octahedron
7

Regular Convex (Platonic) Solids

Dodecahedron
8

Regular Convex (Platonic) Solids

Icosahedron
9

Platonic Solids
~There

are only five platonic

solids~

Cube

Tetrahedron
Octahedron
Icosahedron

Dodecahedron

Platonic solids were known to humans much

earlier than the time of Plato. There are carved
stones (dated approximately 2000 BC) that have
been discovered in Scotland. Some of them are
carved with lines corresponding to the edges of
regular polyhedra.

Icosahedral dice were used by the ancient

Egyptians.

Evidence shows that Pythagoreans knew about

the regular solids of cube, tetrahedron, and
dodecahedron. A later Greek mathematician,
Theatetus (415 - 369 BC) has been credited for
developing a general theory of regular
polyhedra and adding the octahedron and
icosahedron to solids that were known earlier.

The name Platonic solids for regular polyhedra

comes from the Greek philosopher Plato (427 - 347
BC) who associated them with the elements and the
cosmos in his book Timaeus.
Elements, in ancient beliefs, were the four objects
that constructed the physical world; these elements
are fire, air, earth, and water. Plato suggested that
the geometric forms of the smallest particles of these
elements are regular polyhedra.

Number of
Triangles
About each
Vertex

Number of Faces
(F)

Number of
Edges
(E)

Number of
Vertices
(V)

Euler
Formula
V+F=E+2

Number of
Triangles
About each
Vertex

Number of Faces
(F)

Number of
Edges
(E)

Number of
Vertices
(V)

Euler
Formula
V+F=E+2

4+4=6+2

Platonic Solids

Tetrahedron

Number of
Triangles
About each
Vertex

Number of Faces
(F)

Number of
Edges
(E)

Number of
Vertices
(V)

Euler
Formula
V+F=E+2

4+4=6+2

Number of
Triangles
About each
Vertex

Number of Faces
(F)

Number of
Edges
(E)

Number of
Vertices
(V)

Euler
Formula
V+F=E+2

4+4=6+2

12

6+8=12+2

Platonic Solids

Tetrahedron
Octahedron

Number of
Triangles
About each
Vertex

Number of Faces
(F)

Number of
Edges
(E)

Number of
Vertices
(V)

Euler
Formula
V+F=E+2

4+4=6+2

12

6+8=12+2

Number of
Triangles
About each
Vertex

Number of Faces
(F)

Number of
Edges
(E)

Number of
Vertices
(V)

Euler
Formula
V+F=E+2

4+4=6+2

12

6+8=12+2

20

30

12

12+20=30+2

Platonic Solids

Tetrahedron
Octahedron
Icosahedron

Platonic Solids
Cube

Tetrahedron
Octahedron
Icosahedron

Number of
Pentagons
about each
Vertex

Number of Faces
(F)

Number of
Edges
(E)

Number of
Vertices
(V)

Euler
Formula
V+F=E+2

12

30

20

20+12=30+2

Platonic Solids
Cube

Tetrahedron
Octahedron
Icosahedron

Dodecahedron

Platonic Solids
~There

are only five platonic

solids~

Cube

Tetrahedron
Octahedron
Icosahedron

Dodecahedron

We define the dual of a regular polyhedron to

be another regular polyhedron, which is formed
by connecting the centers of the faces of the
original polyhedron

The dual of the tetrahedron is the tetrahedron.

Therefore, the tetrahedron is self-dual.
The dual of the octahedron is the cube.
The dual of the cube is the octahedron.
The dual of the icosahedron is the dodecahedron.
The dual of the dodecahedron is the icosahedron.

Polyhedron

Schlfli Symbol

The
Dual

Number of
Faces

The Shape of Each

Face

Tetrahedron

(3, 3)

(3, 3)

Equilateral
Triangle

Hexahedron

(4, 3)

(3,4)

Square

Octahedron

(3,4)

(4, 3)

Equilateral
Triangle

Dodecahedron

(5, 3)

(3, 5)

12

Regular Pentagon

Icosahedron

(3, 5)

(5, 3)

20

Equilateral
Triangle