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6 Solids

By studying this lesson you will be able to,
²² prepare models of regular octahedrons, regular dodecahedrons and regular
icosahedrons,
²² verify Euler’s relationship for the above solids by considering the number of
edges, vertices and faces of these solids, and
²² from given, solids identify the platonic solids and describe their
characteristics.

6'1 Solids
You have learnt that an object which has a specific shape and which occupies a
certain amount of space is called a solid object.
You have also learnt that the surfaces of solids objects are plane surfaces or curved
surfaces.
Some solids you have studied in Grades 6 and 7 are illustrated below.

A cuboid A cube A regular tetrahedron

A square pyramid A triangular prism

Do the review exercise to recall what you have learnt about solids in Grades
6 and 7.
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Review Exercise

^1& Fill in the blanks in the table given below.

Number of Number of Number of
Solid
edges faces vertices
Cuboid 12 6 8
Cube
Regular tetrahedron
Square pyramid
Triangular prism

^2& Draw nets that can be used to construct the following solids.
(i) Square pyramid
(ii) Triangular prism

^3& A figure of a solid constructed by pasting together two triangular

faces of two identical regular tetrahedrons, one on the other, is
given here. Find the number of edges, faces and vertices of this
solid.

^4& A solid constructed by joining a cube and a square pyramid is

shown in the figure. Find the number of edges, faces and vertices
of this solid.

6'2 Octahedron
Diamonds and certain other gems used in jewellery are cut in the
shape of an octahedron.
A solid which has 8 faces is called an octahedron.

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A solid object which has eight identical equilateral triangular

shaped faces is called a regular octahedron. The figure shows a
regular octahedron.

Let us identify the characteristics of a regular octahedron by engaging in the

following activity.

Activity 1

Step 1 - Copy the given figure on a thick piece of paper such as a Bristol board,
or get a photo copy of the figure and paste it on a thick piece of paper.

Step 2 - Cut out the figure drawn or pasted on the Bristol board and prepare a
model of a regular octahedron by folding along the edges and pasting
along the pasting allowances.

Step 3 - By considering the model you prepared, find the number of faces, edges
and vertices of a regular octahedron. Examine and identify the special
features of the model.

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Step 4 - Write the special features you identified in your exercise book.
The figure you obtain by removing the pasting allowances of the above figure,
which was used to prepare a model of a regular octahedron, is called a net of the
regular octahedron.

The object you constructed during the above activity is a model of a regular
octahedron.

Features you can identify in a regular octahedron

²² There are 8 faces in a regular octahedron.
²² All faces are the shape of identical equilateral triangles.
²² There are 6 vertices in a regular octahedron.
²² There are 12 edges in a regular octahedron. All are straight edges.

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6'3 Dodecahedron
Models of this shape are used for decorations and ornaments.

A solid object which has 12 regular pentagonal faces is called a

regular dodecahedron. The figure shows a regular dodecahedron.

Let us identify the characteristics of a regular dodecahedron by

engaging in the following activity.

Activity 2

Step 1 - Copy the given figure on a thick piece of paper such as a Bristol board
or get a photo copy of the figure and paste it on a thick piece of paper.

Step 2 - Cut out the figure drawn or pasted on the Bristol board and prepare a
model of a regular dodecahedron by folding along the edges and pasting
along the pasting allowances.

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Step 3 - By considering the model you prepared, find the number of faces, edges
and vertices of a regular dodecahedron. Examine and identify the special
features of the model.
Step 4 - Write the special features you identified in your exercise book.
The figure you obtain by removing the pasting allowances of the above figure
which was used to prepare a model of a regular dodecahedron, is called a net of
the regular dodecahedron.

The object you constructed during the above activity is a model of a regular
dodecahedron.

Features you can identify in a regular dodecahedron

²² There are 12 faces in a regular dodecahedron.
²² All the faces of a regular dodecahedron take the shape of identical regular
pentagons.
²² There are 20 vertices in a regular dodecahedron.
²² There are 30 edges in a regular dodecahedron. All are straight edges.

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6'4 Icosahedron
A model which can be used in decorations such as Vesak lanterns is
given here. It is known as an icosahedron.

A solid which has twenty equilateral triangular faces is called a
regular icosahedron. The figure shows a regular icosahedron.

Let us identify the characteristics of a regular icosahedron by

engaging in activity 3.

Activity 3

Step 1 - Copy the given figure on a thick piece of paper such as a Bristol board,
or get a photo copy of the figure and paste it on a thick piece of paper.

Step 2 - Cut out the figure drawn or pasted on the Bristol board and prepare a
model of a regular icosahedron by folding along the edges and pasting
along the pasting allowances.
Step 3 - By considering the model you prepared, find the number of faces, edges
and vertices of a regular icosahedron. Examine and identify the special
features of the model.
Step 4 - Write the special features you identified in your exercise book.

The figure you obtain by removing the pasting allowances of the above figure
which was used to prepare a model of a regular icosahedron is called a net of the
regular icosahedron.
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The object you constructed during the above activity is a model of a regular
icosahedron.
Features you can identify in a regular icosahedron
²² There are 20 faces in a regular icosahedron.
²² The faces of a regular icosahedron take the shape of identical equilateral
triangles.
²² There are 12 vertices in a regular icosahedron.
²² There are 30 edges in a regular icosahedron. All are straight edges.

Exercise 6.1
^1& Name the solid which can be constructed using each net given below.

(i) (ii) (iii)

(iv) (v) (vi)

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6'5 Verification of Euler's relationship for solids

You learnt in Grade 7 about the relationship between the edges, vertices and faces
of a solid, which was first presented by the Swiss mathematician Euler. Let us recall
what you learnt.

Euler's relationship
In a solid with straight edges, the sum of the number of faces and the number of
vertices is two more than the number of edges.

This relationship can be expressed as follows.

Number of Vertices + Number of Faces = Number of Edges + 2

V + F = E + 2

Activity 4
Fill in the blanks in the table given below by observing the solids you constructed
in activities 1, 2 and 3.

Number Number Number Is Euler’s

Solid of vertices of faces of edges V + F - E relationship
(V) (F) (E) satisfied?
Regular Octahedron
Regular Dodecahedron
Regular Icosahedron

Exercise 6.2

^1& Verify Euler's relationship for a regular tetrahedron by considering the number
of faces, vertices and edges it has.
^2& For a square pyramid,
(i) write down the number of faces, vertices and edges.
(ii) show that the above values satisfy Euler's relationship.

^3& If a certain solid has 9 edges and 6 vertices, and if Euler’s relationship is satisfied,
find the number of faces it has.
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^4& A figure of a composite solid is shown here. Determine with reasons

whether Euler's relationship is satisfied for this solid.
^5& A certain solid has 10 edges and 6 faces. Find the number of vertices
it has, if Euler's relationship is satisfied.

^6& The figure given here shows a pyramid of which the upper
portion has been cut out and removed. Verify Euler's relationship
for this solid.

6'6 Platonic solids

Platonic solids are solids having identical regular polygonal faces and with the
same number of faces meeting at every vertex.

You have learnt about the five types of solids which are considered as platonic solids.
They are the regular tetrahedron, cube, regular octahedron, regular dodecahedron
and the regular icosahedron.

They are called platonic solids.

Regular Cube Regular Regular Regular

Tetrahedron Octahedron Dodecahedron Icosahedron

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Exercise 6.3

^1& Complete the table given below.

Are the Number of

Shapes of the Are all the number of faces
faces faces meeting Is the solid a
Solid faces of the meeting at
regular? at each vertex platonic solid?
solid a vertex
equal?

Cube

Square Regular Equal 3 Yes

Cuboid

Regular tetrahedron

Regular
octahedron

Regular
dodecahedron

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Are the Number of

Shapes of the Are all the number of faces Is the solid a
Solid faces of the faces faces meeting meeting at platonic solid?
solid regular? at each vertex a vertex
equal?
Regular
icosahedron

Composite solid
consisting of
a cuboid and a
square pyramid

^2& Construct a regular icosahedron and 20 regular tetrahedrons such that the
icosahedron and the tetrahedrons have edges of equal length. Construct a
composite solid by pasting a tetrahedron on each face of the icosahedron. For
the composite figure, find
(i) the number of edges.
(ii) the number of faces.
(iii) the number of vertices.

^3& From the following, select the platonic solids and write down the corresponding
numbers.

(i) (ii) (iii)

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(iv) (v) (vi)

(vii) (viii)

Summary
The sum of the number of faces and the number of vertices of a solid with
straight edges is 2 more than the number of edges.
Solids having identical regular polygonal faces and with the same number of
faces meeting at every vertex are called platonic solids.
The five types, regular tetrahedrons, cubes, regular octahedrons, regular
dodecahedrons and regular icosahedrons are the only solids that are platonic
solids.

Number Number Number

Solid Shape of a face
of faces of edges of vertices
Cube Square 6 12 8
Cuboid Rectangle 6 12 8
Regular
Equilateral triangle 4 6 4
tetrahedron
One face is square shaped. The other 4
Square pyramid 5 8 5
faces take the shape of identical triangles
Triangular prism 3 rectangular faces and 2 triangular faces 5 9 6
Regular
Equilateral triangle 8 12 6
octahedron
Regular
Regular pentagon 12 30 20
dodecahedron
Regular
Equilateral triangle 20 30 12
icosahedron

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