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List of regular polytopes

This page lists the regular polytopes in Euclidean space.

Contents

Two dimensional regular polytopes

The two dimensional convex regular polytopes are regular polygons.

There exist also non-convex regular polytopes in two dimensions, whose Schläfli symbols consist of rational numbers. An incomplete list of examples is as follows:

  • The pentagram (five-pointed star), with Schläfli symbol {5/2}
  • Two different types of seven-pointed star, with Schläfli symbols {7/2} and {7/3}
  • An eight-pointed star, with Schläfli symbol {8/3}
  • Two different types of nine-pointed star, with Schläfli symbols {9/2} and {9/4}
  • and so on, ad infinitum.

Three dimensional regular polytopes

In three dimensions, the convex regular polytopes (or polyhedra) are the Platonic solids.

  • The tetrahedron, with Schläfli symbol {3,3}, faces are triangles, vertex figures are also triangles.
  • The cube, with Schläfli symbol {4,3}, faces are squares, vertex figures are triangles.
  • The octahedron, with Schläfli symbol {3,4}, faces are triangles, vertex figures are squares.
  • The dodecahedron, with Schläfli symbol {5,3}, faces are pentagons, vertex figures are triangles.
  • The icosahedron, with Schläfli symbol {3,5}, faces are triangles, vertex figures are pentagons.

There exist also non-convex regular polyhedra. These are the Kepler-Poinsot polyhedra.

  • The great stellated dodecahedron , with Schläfli symbol {5/2,3}, faces are pentagrams, vertex figures are triangles.
  • The small stellated dodecahedron , with Schläfli symbol {5/2,5}, faces are pentagrams, vertex figures are pentagons.
  • The great icosahedron , with Schläfli symbol {3,5/2}, faces are triangles, vertex figures are pentagrams.
  • The great dodecahedron , with Schläfli symbol {5,5/2}, faces are pentagons, vertex figures are pentagrams.

Four dimensional regular polytopes

In four dimensions, the convex regular polytopes are as follows.

  • The 4-dimensional simplex, with Schläfli symbol {3,3,3}, faces and vertex figures are tetrahedra.
  • The 24-cell, with Schläfli symbol {3,4,3}, faces are octahedra, vertex figures are cubes.
  • The 4-dimensional cube, also called a hypercube or tesseract, with Schläfli symbol {4,3,3}, faces are cubes, vertex figures are tetrahedra.
  • The 4-dimensional cross-polytope, with Schläfli symbol {3,3,4}, faces are tetrahedra, vertex figures are octahedra.
  • The 120-cell, with Schläfli symbol {5,3,3}, faces are dodecahedra, vertex figures are tetrahedra.
  • The 600-cell, with Schläfli symbol {3,3,5}, faces are tetrahedra, vertex figures are icosahedra.

There exist also ten non-convex regular polytopes in four dimensions.

  • The stellated 120-cell , with Schläfli symbol {5/2,5,3}
  • The great 120-cell , with Schläfli symbol {5,5/2,5}
  • The icosahedral 120-cell , with Schläfli symbol {3,5,5/2}
  • The great stellated 120-cell , with Schläfli symbol {5/2,3,5}
  • The grand 120-cell , with Schläfli symbol {5,3,5/2}
  • The grand stellated 120-cell , with Schläfli symbol {5/2,5,5/2}
  • The great icosahderal 120-cell , with Schläfli symbol {3,5/2,5}
  • The great grand 120-cell , with Schläfli symbol {5,5/2,3}
  • The great grand stellated 120-cell , with Schläfli symbol {5/2,3,3}
  • The grand 600-cell , with Schläfli symbol {3,3,5/2}

Higher dimensional regular polytopes

In dimensions higher than 4, there are only three kinds of convex regular polytopes.

  • n-dimensional simplex, with Schläfli symbol {3,...,3}
  • n-dimensional cube, also called a hypercube or tesseract, with Schläfli symbol {4,3,...,3}
  • n-dimensional cross-polytope, with Schläfli symbol {3,...,3,4}

There are no non-convex regular polytopes in dimensions higher than 4.

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Last updated: 10-15-2005 15:15:05
12-19-2008 14:25:18
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