Lesson Title: What Do You Know: Hamiltonian Circuit 

Topic: Graph Theory 

Time: 1 class period  

Materials: Each table group needs a guidance worksheet, stencils of student choosing (regular 
square or triangle), paper, tape, and writing utensil. 

Background Skills: Familiarity with Hamiltonian Circuits, nets, and difference between 2D & 3D.  

Objectives 

1. Students will recall Hamiltonian Circuits definition 

2. Students will either find Hamiltonian Circuits for the given platonic solids or explain why 
none exists.   

Standard: P.CM-DM.A: QR P.CMDM.A.1: Study the following topics related to vertex-edge graph: 
Euler circuits, ​Hamilton circuits​, shortest path, vertex coloring, and adjacency matrices. 

Grade Level: 9th grade   

Description: Students will review the definition of Hamiltonian Circuits by working with the 2D 
nets of platonic solids and working with the 3D platonic solids.  

Inspiration: ​http://mathworld.wolfram.com/HamiltonianCycle.html  

Other Sources 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F288793394
827041536%2F&psig=AOvVaw357x26TlMEca4RsvEeGAEw&ust=1581982579206000&source=image
s&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCPi3-7-e1-cCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD 

Outline of Lesson 

Tetrahedron  
-Done as a class 
-Identify if the net forms a Hamiltonian Circuit 
-2D 
-3D same? 
 
Cube or Octahedron 
-Students will draw the nets using the regular polygon manipulatives as stencils.  
-Identify if the net forms a Hamiltonian Circuit 
-discuss differences in nets  
-2D 
-3D same? 
    
 What Do You Know: Hamiltonian Circuit  

Recall 

Write down your table’s definition for the following terms.  

Hamiltonian Circuit: 

Two-Dimension: 

Three-Dimension: 

Tetrahedron  
As a class, we will answer the following questions about tetrahedron’s net and a 
tetrahedron.  
 

 
1. Is there a Hamiltonian Circuit for its net? If there is, describe or draw it. If not, 
explain why.  
 
 
 
 2. Is there still a Hamiltonian Circuit for the tetrahedron? If there is, describe or 
draw it. If not, explain why.   
 
 
 
 
 
3. Were our answers to 1 and 2 the same? Why or why not?  
 
 
 
 
 
 
You Decide: Cube or Octahedron 
A cube is a three dimensional shape whose ___ faces are all ____________ squares.  
  
An octahedron is a three dimensional shape whose ___ faces are all ____________ 
triangles.   
 
In your table groups decided whether to look at a cube or octahedron. Circle which one 
your table group decides on.  
1. Design a net for the three dimensional shape your group has chosen using the 
polygon stencils. Be sure to clearly mark edges and vertices.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. How did you draw your net? Be prepared to share with class.  
 
 
 
3. Is there a Hamiltonian Circuit for its net? If there is, describe or draw it. If not, 
explain why.    
Now make your three dimensional shape using the net your table designed with another 
piece of paper.  
4. Is there still a Hamiltonian Circuit for the three dimensional shape? If there is, 
describe or draw it. If not, explain why.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Were our answers to 3 and 4 the same? Why or why not?    
Answer Key 
Below are possible solutions and explanations for the given questions.   
What Do You Know: Hamiltonian Circuit  

Recall 

Write down your table’s definition for the following terms.  

Hamiltonian Circuit: ​A graph where you are able to visit each vertex once and end where 
you started.  

Two-Dimension: ​Something that is flat.  

Three-Dimension: ​Something that you could hold.  

Tetrahedron ​A 3D shape that has 4 faces that are equilateral triangles.  

As a class, we will answer the following questions about tetrahedron’s net and a 
tetrahedron.  
 

 
4. Is there a Hamiltonian Circuit for its net? If there is, describe or draw it. If not, 
explain why. ​Yes, the picture above is an example of a circuit.  
5. Is there still a Hamiltonian Circuit for the tetrahedron? If there is, describe or 
draw it. If not, explain why. ​Yes, the picture below is an example of a circuit.  

 
 6. Were our answers to 4 and 5 the same? Why or why not?  
Yes they were the same since both had a circuit, though each had a different path.   
 
You Decide: Cube or Octahedron 
A cube is a three dimensional shape whose _​6​_ faces are all ​equilateral​ squares.  
  
An octahedron is a three dimensional shape whose _​8​_ faces are all ​equilateral​ triangles.   
 
In your table groups decided whether to look at a cube or octahedron. Circle which one 
your table group decides on.  
6. Design a net for the three dimensional shape your group has chosen using the 
polygon stencils. Be sure to clearly mark edges and vertices.  
Answers will vary.  
 
 
 
 
7. How did you draw your net? Be prepared to share with class.  
Answers will vary.  
 
 
8. Is there a Hamiltonian Circuit for its net? If there is, describe or draw it. If not, 
explain why.  
Depends how they draw the net with its edges and vertices.  
 
Now make your three dimensional shape using the net your table designed with another 
piece of paper.  
9. Is there still a Hamiltonian Circuit for the three dimensional shape? If there is, 
describe or draw it. If not, explain why. ​Yes, the pictures below are an example.    

 
10. Were our answers to 8 and 9 the same? Why or why not?  
Once again, it depends on how they drew their net for 6.