All Questions
42 questions
15
votes
1
answer
530
views
Dividing a polyhedron into two similar copies
The paper Dividing a polygon into two similar polygons proves that there are only three families of polygons that are irrep-2-tiles (can be subdivided into similar copies of the original).
Right ...
3
votes
1
answer
239
views
The realization space of non-convex polyhedra - What is known?
The space $\mathfrak R_{\mathrm c}(P)$ of convex realizations of a (3-dimensional, spherical) polyhedron $P$ is known to be well-behaved: it is a contractible manifold of dimension $\#\text{edges}+6$ (...
- 13.6k
1
vote
0
answers
57
views
Inside-out dissections of solids
We add to Inside-out dissections of polygons - a generalization. The inside-out (fully inside-out) dissections are defined on pages linked there.
How does one inside-out dissect a tetrahedron into ...
- 5,979
1
vote
0
answers
41
views
About the number of faces of the conification of a polytope
Let $P\subset\mathbb{R}^n$ be a polytope of dimension $(n-1)$ such that the origin $\vec{0}\not\in\text{Aff}(P)$, where $\text{Aff}(P)$ denotes the affine hull of $P$ in $\mathbb{R}^n$. Now, we ...
- 131
3
votes
0
answers
53
views
Endpoints of intrinsic diameter of a convex polyhedron
Let $P$ be a convex polyhedron in $\mathbb{R}^3$, and $d(P)$ its intrinsic diameter,
i.e., the longest shortest surface path between two points. Say that $P$ is of
class
$D_0$ if neither endpoint of $...
- 151k
4
votes
1
answer
142
views
On polyhedrons with specified numbers of congruent faces
Basic question: Given 3 integers n, n1 and n2 such that n1+n2 = n, to form an n-face polyhedron such that n1 of its faces are mutually congruent and the remaining n2 faces are different but congruent ...
- 5,979
7
votes
0
answers
227
views
Tiling space with supertile of hypercube unfoldings
Two students in my class
asked and answered what might be a novel question.
It is well known that the cube has exactly $11$ edge-unfoldings
(or "nets"), as shown below:
(Image from ...
- 151k
5
votes
2
answers
316
views
Dimension of configuration space of triangulated convex polyhedron
The configuration space of all tetrahedra is $5$-dimensional, perhaps a non-obvious fact.
There are $12$ face angles, but the sum of each of the four faces angles is $\pi$,
reducing $12$ to $8$ ...
- 151k
5
votes
1
answer
246
views
Convex polyhedra with non-congruent faces
Question: Are there convex polyhedra wherein all faces are convex polygons with same area and perimeter and no two faces are mutually congruent?
Remarks: If the answer to above is "no", then,...
- 5,979
13
votes
0
answers
573
views
What are the known convex polyhedra with congruent faces?
Note: I originally asked this question on math.SE here, where I posted a bounty on the question but received no answers after a week despite apparent interest in the problem. I'm hoping MathOverflow ...
- 3,068
11
votes
1
answer
652
views
How to correctly state Cauchy's rigidity theorem?
Cauchy's rigidity theorem is often stated briefly as
Any two (convex, 3-dimensional) polyhedra with pairwise congruent faces are themselves congruent.
As a more formal generalization to general ...
- 13.6k
6
votes
1
answer
244
views
Is Sydler's theorem concerning Dehn invariants constructive?
Sydler proved something of a converse to Dehn's negative resolution
of Hilbert's 3rd problem. To quote Wikipedia, Sydler showed that
"every two Euclidean polyhedra with the same volumes and Dehn ...
- 151k
2
votes
2
answers
113
views
How to define and compute the degree of congruence of two rigid polyhedra in same type with knowing vertex coordinates?
If I have two sets of points in 3-dimensional space, each sets of points are the coordinates of vertices of a polyhedron. The two polyhedra have same type, so we don't need to consider the topological ...
- 31
3
votes
1
answer
84
views
Tilings of lattice polytopes by transformations of lattice polytopes
A quasi-lattice polytope is a polytope obtained by reflections, translations, and rotations of lattice polytopes. In a tiling of a lattice polytope by quasi-lattice polytopes, are all quasi-lattice ...
- 745
3
votes
0
answers
142
views
Can bellows make loops?
Can flexible polyhedron (hyperbolic or euclidean) have non-simply connected configuration space not containing singular polyhedra?
- 4,600
1
vote
1
answer
230
views
A possible characterization of the cube?
Let $P$ be the $1$-skeleton of a convex polyhedron fixed in $\mathbb{R}^3$,
and $|P|$ the sum of the Euclidean lengths of the edges of $P$.
Let $P_1, P_2, P_3$ be the perpendicular projections of $P$
...
- 151k
11
votes
2
answers
455
views
Dodecahedral rolling distance
Let a dodecahedron sit on the plane,
with one face's vertices on an origin-centered unit circle.
Fix the orientation so that the edge whose indices are $(1,2)$ is horizontal.
For any $p \in \mathbb{R}...
- 151k
4
votes
0
answers
153
views
Perimeters of nested convex spherical polygons
I seek a reference—not a proof—that if $P_1$ and $P_2$
are two convex polygons on a sphere composed of geodesic segments,
contained in a hemisphere, and
$P_1 \subseteq P_2$, then the ...
- 151k
10
votes
2
answers
387
views
What is Kept Fixed for Flexible Spheres
For background to this question much recent exciting related things, see this videotaped lecture by Alexander Gaifullin.
Consider a triangulation $K$ of a two-dimensional sphere and consider maps ...
- 24.7k
26
votes
7
answers
3k
views
What's that shape? Inferring a 3D shape from random shadows
Let $P$ be a bounded, simply connected region of $\mathbb{R}^3$.
$P$ could be a polyhedron, or a smooth shape, or an arbitrary shape;
I'll assume below that $P$ is a (non-degenerate, perhaps non-...
- 151k
5
votes
2
answers
1k
views
regular polyhedra (and polytopes) in hyperbolic geometry, and generalisations
While there exist regular tesselations of the hyperbolic plane with arbitrary regular polygons, there are no new regular polyhedra in hyperbolic (3D) space. This being quite trivial, it is probably ...
- 3,630
10
votes
1
answer
623
views
Polyhedron not circumscribed about a sphere
Let $P$ be a polyhedron whose faces are colored black and white so that there are more black faces and no two black faces are adjacent. Show that $P$ is not circumscribed about a sphere.
My teacher ...
- 1,090
5
votes
2
answers
378
views
Light inside a polyhedron
I have two questions the same as Mostafa's Question:
Visibility of vertices in polyhedra
Suppose $P$ is a closed polyhedron in space (i.e. a union of polygons which is homeomorphic to $S^2$) and $X$ ...
- 628
28
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Visibility of vertices in polyhedra
Suppose $P$ is a closed polyhedron in space (i.e. a union of polygons which is homeomorphic to $S^2$) and $X$ is an interior point of $P$. Is it true that $X$ can see at least one vertex of $P$? More ...
- 4,484
14
votes
0
answers
479
views
Does every convex polyhedron have a combinatorially isomorphic counterpart whose angles between edges are rational multiples of $\pi$?
After reading these very interesting questions, I came up with another one:
Does every convex polyhedron have a combinatorially isomorphic counterpart whose angles between all pairs of edges meeting ...
- 532
6
votes
0
answers
114
views
Constructing a polyhedron of maximal possible volume from given bounds on areas of its faces
Consider $n$ variables $a_1,...,a_n$ ranging over $\mathbb{R}^+$. Suppose we are given $n$ pairs of positive rational numbers $(p_1,q_1),...,(p_n,q_n)$ where each pair imposes bounds on the ...
- 161
10
votes
2
answers
326
views
Do maximal polyhedra have algebraic volume?
Is it possible to prove that for every $n > 3$ the maximal possible volume of a convex polyhedron having $n$ vertices inscribed in a sphere of unit radius is an algebraic number?
Update: What can ...
- 6,819
25
votes
3
answers
994
views
Does every convex polyhedron have a combinatorially isomorphic counterpart whose faces all have rational areas?
Does every convex polyhedron have a combinatorially isomorphic counterpart whose faces all have rational areas?
Does every convex polyhedron have a combinatorially isomorphic counterpart whose edges ...
- 513
8
votes
1
answer
591
views
Polyhedra that combinatorially shadow a sequence
Let $P$ be a polyhedron in $\mathbb{R}^3$.
Say that $P$ combinatorially shadows a sequence of natural numbers $S$ if
there is a continuous rotation of $P$ such that its orthogonal-projection
shadows ...
- 151k
7
votes
3
answers
805
views
Wrapping a convex polyhedron with string
This is a meta-question, rather than a specific mathematical question.
I am seeking a mathematical definition that captures the following physical idea.
Suppose you have a convex polyhedron $P \...
- 151k
13
votes
1
answer
3k
views
What nets fold to polyhedra?
There is a classic (and open) problem asking whether every polyhedron can be unfolded to give a non-overlapping net. The converse problem has been studied asking which polygons can be folded in some ...
- 1,314
13
votes
2
answers
918
views
Acute triangulation
Assume that $S$ is a finite 2-dimensional simplicial complex equipped with a metric $d$
such that each triangle is isometric to a plane triangle (so $(S,d)$ is a polyhedral space).
Is it possible ...
- 45k
20
votes
1
answer
591
views
Update to Shephard's "Twenty Problems on Convex Polyhedra"
Forty-three years ago, Geoffrey Shephard published an influential list of open problems
on convex polyhedra.
Progress has been made on several of his problems, and perhaps some have been completely ...
- 151k
4
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Number of Hyper-cube cuts
In how many ways a single hyperplane can cut a hypercube? Two "ways" are considered different, if the sets into which they divide vertices of the hypercube are different. So e.g. a line can cut 2-...
- 51
4
votes
1
answer
360
views
On Dehn's infinitesimal rigidity theorem
Dehn's theorem states that any simplicial strictly convex polyedron P in Euclidean 3-space is infinitesimally rigid (that is, any non-trivial first order deformation of P induces a variation of its ...
- 61
10
votes
2
answers
523
views
When does every point in a polytope lie along a chord between its edges?
Consider the 3-simplex, or tetrahedron, in 3-space. Regardless of the positions of the vertices, every point in the simplex lies on a chord between two non-adjacent edges of the simplex. Or, ...
- 329
7
votes
3
answers
866
views
Not quite regular polyhedra
Take a naive interpretation of regular polyhedra:
All vertices (including epsilon ball) congruent
All edges congruent
All faces congruent
We can now find interesting families by removing one ...
- 1,314
11
votes
3
answers
3k
views
polyhedra with equilateral pentagons faces
In page http://loki3.com/poly/isohedra.html around six polyhedra with equilateral pentagons as faces are shown: a pyritohedron, icositetrahedrons... Is there a complete list of this kind of polyhedra? ...
- 111
45
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Pach's "Animals": What if the genus is positive?
Janos Pach asked a deep question 23 years ago (1988) that remains unsolved today:
Can every animal—a topological ball in $\mathbb{R^3}$ composed of unit cubes glued face-to-face—be ...
- 151k
11
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Which (semi)regular polyhedra are combinations of two others?
The convex combination of convex polytopes is a convex polytope.
An example in $\mathbb{R}^2$ is that a regular octagon
can be obtained as $\frac{1}{2} S + \frac{1}{2} S'$,
where $S$ is a square and $...
- 151k
6
votes
1
answer
450
views
Dissecting a tetrahedron into orthoschemes
Is there a way to dissect any tetrahedron into a finite number of orthoschemes?
I know that for a tetrahedron which only has acute angles, one can take the center of the inscribed circle and project ...
- 601
19
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Four Dimensional Origami Axioms
What are the axioms of four dimensional Origami.
If standard Origami is considered three dimensional, it has points, lines, surfaces and folds to create a three dimensional form from the folded ...
- 193