Two-dimensional regular polygons are everywhere
Fewgeometric shapesare as diverse as polygons.
They include the familiar triangle, square, and pentagon, but that is only the start.
Cubes are not polygons because they are three-dimensional.
De Agostini / A. Dagli Orti / Getty Images
Circles are not polygons because they don’t contain straight lines.
A special kind of polygon can have angles that aren’t all equal.
In this case, it’s called anirregularpolygon.
Lifewire / Ted French
Polygons have the same number of sides and corners.
Examples of this for five and six-sided regular polygons are:
There are exceptions to this naming scheme.
So, a 100-sided polygon is referred to as ahectogon.
Lifewire / Ted French
Polygon Limit
Theoretically, there is no limit to the number of sides a polygon can have.
The names of complex polygons are sometimes different from those of simple polygons with the same number of sides.
Depending on the width and pitch of the roof, the truss might incorporate equilateral or isosceles triangles.
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Because of their great strength, triangles are used in the construction of bridges and bicycle frames.
They are prominent in the Eiffel Tower.
The building is a five-sided, regular pentagon.
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Home Plate
Another well-known five-sided regular pentagon is the home plate on a baseball diamond.
The nests of paper wasps also contain hexagonal cells where they raise their young.
The Giant’s Causeway
Hexagons are also found in the Giant’s Causeway located in northeast Ireland.
It is an eight-sided regular octagon.
Stop Signs
The stop sign one of the most familiar traffic signs is another eight-sided regular octagon.
