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Session 9, Part A:
Platonic Solids (45 minutes)
In This Part: Building the Solids | Naming the Solids
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Platonic solids have the following characteristics:
• | All of the faces are congruent regular polygons. |
• | At each vertex, the same number of regular polygons meet. |
In order to do the following problems, you will need Polydrons or other snap-together regular polygons. If you don't have access to them, print this Shapes PDF document as a template for cutting shapes out of stiff paper or poster board.
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Problem A1 |  |
a. | Connect three triangles together around a vertex. Complete the solid so that each vertex is the same. What do you notice? Were you able to build a solid? |
b. | Repeat the process with four triangles around a vertex, then five, then six, and so on. What do you notice? |
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Problem A2 | |
a. | Connect three squares together around a vertex. Complete the solid so that each vertex is the same. What do you notice? Were you able to build a solid? |
b. | Repeat the process with four squares around a vertex, then five, and so on. What do you notice? |
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Problem A3 | |
a. | Connect three pentagons together around a vertex. Complete the solid so that each vertex is the same. What do you notice? Were you able to build a solid? |
b. | Repeat the process with four pentagons, then five, and so on. What do you notice? |
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Problem A4 | |
Connect three hexagons together around a vertex. Complete the solid so that each vertex is the same. What do you notice? Were you able to build a solid? |
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Problem A5 | |
How many Platonic solids are there? Explain why that's the case. |
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