You are on page 1of 1

Chap. I. DESCRIPTIVE GEOMETRY.

32f
Tlic hexuhedrtm, or cube wliose faces are six in number;
Tbe nrtahednm, whose faces are eight equilateral triangles
;
The (lodecnhetlrou, whose faces are twelve regular pentagons
;
The icosu/u-f/mn, consisting of twenty equilateral triangles.
Tliese five regular polyhedrons are represented by the Jigurex 477. 479, 480, 4S1, and '1P2
and their developement by the figures 478. 483, 484, 48.^. and 48(1.
Fig. ISO.
Fig. 483. Fis. 481. Fig. 485.
1152. The surfaces of these developcments are so arranged as to be capable of being
united by moving them on the lines by which they are joined.
US.S. It is here proper to remark, that the equilateral triangle, the square, and the
pentagon, are the only figures which will form regular polyhedrt)ns whose angles and sides
are equal
; but by cutting in a regular method the solid angles of these polyhedrons,
others regularly symmetrical may be formed whose sides will be formed of two similar
figures. Thus, by cutting in a regular way the angles of a tetrahedron, we obtain a poly-
hedron of eight faces, composed of four hexagons and four e(]uilateral triangles. Sirnilar'lv
operating on the cube, we shall have six octagons, connected by eight equilateral triangles,
forming a polyhedron of fourteen faces.
1 1 54. The same operation being performed on the octahedron also gives a figure of
fourteen faces, whereof eight are octagons and six are squares.
1155. The dodecahedron so cut produces twelve pentagons united by twenty hexagons,
and having thirty-two sides. This last, from some y)olnts of view, so approaches the
figure of the sphere, that, at a little distance, it looks almost spherical.
DEVELOPEMENT OF PYRAMIDS AND PRISMS.
1156. The other solids whose surfaces are plane, whereof mention has already been
made, are pyramids and prisms, partaking of the tetrahedron and cube ; of the former,
inasmuch as their sides above the base are formed by triangles which approach each other
so as together to form the solid angle which is the summit of the pyramid ; of the latter,
because their faces, which rise above the base, are formed by rectangles or parallelograms
which preserve the same distance from each otlier, but differ, from their rising on a poly-
gonal base and l)eing undetermined as to height.
1 157. This species may be regular or irregular, they may have their axes perpendicular
or inclined, they may be truncated or cut in a direction either parallel or inclined to their
bases.
1 158 The developement of a pyramid or right prism, whose base and height are given,
is not attended with dithculty. The oi)eration is by raising on each side of the base a triangle
equal in height to the inclined face, as in the pyramidal figures 487. and 488., ard a
rectangle equal to the perpendicular height if it be a prism.
DEVELOPEMENT OF AN OBLIQITE PVHA.Mln.
1159. If the pyramid be oblique, as m
fig.
489., wherein the length of the sides of each
triangle can only be represented by foreshortening them in a vertical or horizontal pro-
jection, a third operation is necessary, and that is founded on a principle common to all
lrojections
;
viz. that the length
of an inclined line -projected or foreahortened on a plane,
depends upon the differeucf
of
the jjerpvndiiiilar eUnigaiion
of
its extremities
from the plane.

You might also like