SOLIDS AND POLYHEDRA

SOLID MENSURATION
PREPARED BY: ENGR. AMOS MATTHEW S. PORTUGAL
SOLID GEOMETRY

• Solid geometry deals with the mensuration of three-dimensional figures called solids.
• With the addition of another dimension, the concepts learned in plane geometry are
applied to include the third dimension.
• Expect determination of dimensions of solids, their surface areas, and volumes.
POINTS, LINES, AND PLANES

• A plane is a surface such that a straight line

joining any two points lies wholly in the surface.
• Collinear points are three or more points that
lie on the same straight line.
• Coplanar points are points that lie on the same
straight line.
• Coplanar lines are lines that lie on the same
plane.
RELATIVE POSITIONS OF A LINE AND A PLANE

1. A line lies in a plane if two points of the line lie in

the plane.
• Points A and B are in plane M.Thus, line AB lies in plane M.
2. If a line and a plane do not intersect, then the line is
parallel to the plane.
• Line CD is not in plane M and is parallel to line AB.Therefore line
CD is parallel to plane M.
3. If a line is perpendicular to a plane, then it is
perpendicular to every line within the plane.
• Line AG is perpendicular to plane M. It is therefore perpendicular
to line AB.
4. A line that intersects a plane but not perpendicular to the
plane is said to be oblique to the plane.
• Line EF is oblique to plane M.
RELATIVE POSITIONS OF PLANES

1. If three noncollinear points of a

plane lie on another plane, the
two planes coincide.
2. If two planes intersect, the
intersection is a straight line.
3. If two planes do not meet, they
are parallel.
DIHEDRAL ANGLE

• A dihedral angle is the angle formed between two

intersecting planes.
• In the figure shown, the two planes are called
faces of the dihedral angle and the line of
intersection is called the edge of the angle.
• Two dihedral angles are said to be adjacent if
they have a common edge and a common face.
• A plane is said to be perpendicular to another
plane if the planes form a right dihedral angle.
POLYHEDRAL ANGLE

• A polyhedral angle is formed by three or more Vertex

planes which meet at a common point called the
vertex of the angle.
• A plane which cuts all the faces of a polyhedral angle
except at the vertex is called a section. Face angle

• A face angle is the angle at the vertex and formed by

any two adjacent edges.
• A dihedral angle of a polyhedral angle is the dihedral Section
Dihedral
angle formed by any two intersecting faces. angle

Edge
SOLIDS

• A solid is a three-dimensional figure bounded by

surfaces or plane figures.
• A right circular cylinder is a solid of circular
right section in which the centers of two circular
bases both lie on a single line.
• A pyramid is a solid whose base is a polygon and
whose lateral faces are triangles which meet at a
common vertex.
• A cone resembles a pyramid but with a circular
base.
• A sphere is a solid in which all points on its
surface are equidistance from its center.
VOLUME AND SURFACE AREA OF SOLIDS

• The volume of a solid is the amount of space it

occupies.
• The unit of measure for volume of solids is in cubic
length (𝑐𝑚3 , 𝑚3 , 𝑖𝑛.3 , 𝑓𝑡 3 , etc.).
VOLUME AND SURFACE AREA OF SOLIDS

• Cavalieri’s principle is one of the two important

theorems on the volume of a solid.
• The principle states that given any two solids
included between parallel horizontal planes; if every
right section has the same area in both solids, then
the volume of the solids are equal.
• On the figure shown, the cross-sectional areas of
both cylinders (circle) do not change with respect to
height. If the two cylinders also have the same height,
then the volume of the two solids are equal.
VOLUME AND SURFACE AREA OF SOLIDS

• The volume addition theorem states that a solid may

be divided into non-overlapping smaller regions so that the
sum of these smaller regions is equal to the volume of the
solid.
• On the figure shown, the solid may be divided into two
known geometric figures (half-sphere and right cylinder)
whose volumes can be determined.
VOLUME AND SURFACE AREA OF SOLIDS

• The surface area is the area of the surface of a

three-dimensional figure or solid.
• The lateral area of a solid is the area of the lateral
or side surfaces of a solid.
• The total surface area is the sum of the lateral
area and the area of the bases (top and bottom).
INSCRIBED SOLIDS

• An inscribed solid is a solid of maximum volume placed inside another solid of fixed volume, with
their edges or surfaces touching each other.
INSCRIBED SOLIDS

• A cylinder inscribed in a sphere:

• The diameter of the sphere is equal to the diagonal of the
rectangle formed by the height and diameter of the cylinder.

𝐷= 𝑑 2 + ℎ2

Where:
𝐷 = diameter of the sphere
𝑑 = diameter of the inscribed cylinder
ℎ = height of the inscribed cylinder
INSCRIBED SOLIDS

• A sphere inscribed in a cube:

• The diameter of the sphere is equal to the length of one
edge of a cube. 𝒔

𝐷=𝑠 𝑫

Where:
𝐷 = diameter of the inscribed sphere
𝑠 = side length of the cube
INSCRIBED SOLIDS

• A sphere inscribed in a cylinder:

• The diameter of the sphere is equal to the diameter of the
cylinder.

𝐷=𝑑 𝑫

Where:
𝐷 = diameter of the inscribed sphere
𝑑 = diameter of the cylinder
𝒅
INSCRIBED SOLIDS

• A rectangular solid inscribed in a sphere:

• The diameter of the sphere is equal to the length of the
diagonal of the rectangular solid.

𝐷= 𝑙 2 + 𝑤 2 + ℎ2

Where:
𝐷 = diameter of the sphere
𝑙 = length of the inscribed rectangular solid
𝑤 = width of the inscribed rectangular solid
ℎ = height of the inscribed rectangular solid
EXAMPLE NO. 1

A rectangular solid 12 ft long and 8 ft wide is inscribed in a sphere of radius 2 17. Find the
height of the rectangular solid.
Given: Solution:
𝑙 = 12 𝑓𝑡 𝐷 = 𝑙 2 + 𝑤 2 + ℎ2
𝑤 = 8 𝑓𝑡 Diameter is simply twice the radius.
𝑟 = 2 17 𝑓𝑡 2𝑟 = 𝑙 2 + 𝑤 2 + ℎ2
Required: 2𝑟 2 = 𝑙 2 + 𝑤 2 + ℎ2
ℎ 4𝑟 2 = 𝑙 2 + 𝑤 2 + ℎ2
ℎ2 = 4𝑟 2 − 𝑙 2 − 𝑤 2
2
ℎ= 4𝑟 2 − 𝑙2 − 𝑤2 = 4 2 17 − 122 − 82
ℎ = 8 𝑓𝑡
POLYHEDRA

• A polyhedron is a solid which is bounded by

polygons joined at their edges.
• The bounding polygons are the faces of the
polyhedron, the intersection of the faces are the
edges, and the intersection of the edges are the
vertices.
• The surfaces on the sides of a polyhedron are called
lateral faces and their intersections are called
lateral edges.
• A line joining any two vertices not in the same face is
called the diagonal of the polyhedron.
• The plane figure formed by the intersection of a
plane cutting the lateral edges of a polyhedron is
called a section.
REGULAR POLYHEDRON

• A regular polyhedron or platonic solid is a

polyhedron whose faces are congruent regular
polygons and whose polyhedral angles are equal.
• These polyhedral are classified according to the
number of faces.
• The least number of faces a polyhedron can contain
is four (4), which is known as a tetrahedron.
REGULAR POLYHEDRON

Number Number Number

Polyhedron Faces
of Faces of Edges of Vertices

Tetrahedron Triangle 4 6 4

Hexahedron (cube) Square 6 12 8

Octahedron Triangle 8 12 6

Dodecahedron Pentagon 12 30 20

Icosahedron Triangle 20 30 12
SIMILAR POLYHEDRONS

• Corresponding linear dimensions of any two 𝒙𝟏

similar solids have the same ratio.
𝑥1 𝑥2
= 𝒙𝟐
𝑦1 𝑦2
• Ratio of areas of similar plane figures or similar 𝒚𝟏
surfaces is equal to the square of the ratio of any 𝒚𝟐
two corresponding dimensions.
2
𝐴1 𝑥1
=
𝐴2 𝑥2
• Ratio of volumes of two similar solids is equal to
the cube of the ratio of any two corresponding
dimensions.
3
𝑉1 𝑥1
=
𝑉2 𝑥2
EDGES AND VERTICES OF A REGULAR POLYHEDRON

• In any regular polyhedron, the number of edges is given by

the formula:

1
𝑒 = 𝑛𝑝
2

Where:
𝑒 = number of edges
𝑝 = number of polygons enclosing the polyhedron (i.e.
number of faces)
𝑛 = number of sides in each polygon enclosing the
polyhedron
EDGES AND VERTICES OF A REGULAR POLYHEDRON

• In any regular polyhedron, the number of vertices is given

by the formula:

𝑣 =𝑒−𝑝+2

Where:
𝑣 = number of vertices
𝑒 = number of edges
𝑝 = number of polygons enclosing the polyhedron (i.e.
number of faces)
TOTAL SURFACE AREA OF A REGULAR POLYHEDRON

• In any regular polyhedron, the total surface area is given by

the formula:

𝑛𝑝𝑠 2
𝑇𝑆𝐴 =
180°
4 tan
𝑛

Where:
𝑛 = number of sides in each polygon enclosing the
polyhedron
𝑝 = number of polygons enclosing the polyhedron (i.e.
number of faces)
𝑠 = length of one edge
DIHEDRAL ANGLE OF A REGULAR POLYHEDRON

• In any regular polyhedron, the dihedral angle is given by the

formula:

180°
cos
𝑓
𝑑 = 2 sin−1
180°
sin
𝑛

Where:
𝑑 = dihedral angle (degrees)
𝑛 = number of sides in each polygon enclosing the
polyhedron
𝑓 = number of faces at one vertex
VOLUME OF A REGULAR POLYHEDRON

• In any regular polyhedron, the volume is given by the

formula:

𝑑
𝑛𝑝𝑠 3 tan
2
𝑉=
180°
24 tan2
𝑛
Where:
𝑉 = volume of the regular polyhedron
𝑛 = number of sides in each polygon enclosing the
polyhedron
𝑝 = number of polygons enclosing the polyhedron (i.e.
number of faces)
𝑠 = length of one edge
EXAMPLE NO. 2

The area of a face of a regular octahedron is 3 𝑚2 . Find the total surface area and volume
of the polyhedron.
Given: Solution:
𝐴𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 = 3 𝑚2 To compute for 𝑇𝑆𝐴 and 𝑉, we need the edge length 𝑠.
Referring to the table, a regular octahedron is composed of triangular
faces (equilateral).
Using Pythagorean Theorem:
Required:
2 2
𝑠 2
𝑇𝑆𝐴 𝑠 =ℎ + 𝑠 𝑠
2 ℎ
𝑉
𝑠 2 𝑠 2 𝑠 3
ℎ= 2
𝑠 − = 2
𝑠 − =
2 4 2 𝑠 𝑠
2 2
EXAMPLE NO. 2

The area of a face of a regular octahedron is 3 𝑚2 . Find the total surface area and volume
of the polyhedron.
Given: Solution:
𝐴𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 = 3 𝑚2 1
𝐴𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 = 𝑏ℎ
2
1 𝑠 3
3= 𝑠
2 2
Required:
𝑇𝑆𝐴 𝑠2 3
= 3
𝑉 4
2
4
𝑠 = 3 =4
3
𝑠 =2𝑚
EXAMPLE NO. 2

The area of a face of a regular octahedron is 3 𝑚2 . Find the total surface area and volume
of the polyhedron.
Given: Solution:
𝐴𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 = 3 𝑚2 𝑛𝑝𝑠 2
𝑇𝑆𝐴 =
180°
4 tan
𝑛
Referring to the table, a triangle has 3 sides (𝑛 = 3). Octahedrons have 8 faces
(𝑝 = 8).
Required:
3 8 2𝑚 2
𝑇𝑆𝐴 𝑇𝑆𝐴 =
180°
𝑉 4 tan
3
𝑇𝑆𝐴 = 8 3 𝑚2
SHORTCUT: Since an octahedron has 8 faces, and the area for every face is
3 𝑚2 , then the total surface area is 8 × 3 𝑚2 .
EXAMPLE NO. 2

The area of a face of a regular octahedron is 3 𝑚2 . Find the total surface area and volume
of the polyhedron.
Given: Solution:
𝐴𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 = 3 𝑚2 For the volume, we require the dihedral angle 𝑑.
1 2
180°
cos
𝑓
𝑑 = 2 sin −1 3 4
180°
sin
Required: 𝑛
𝑇𝑆𝐴 A regular octahedron has 4 faces in one vertex (𝑓 = 4).
180°
𝑉 cos
𝑑 = 2 sin −1 4
180°
sin
3
𝑑 = 109.4712206°
EXAMPLE NO. 2

The area of a face of a regular octahedron is 3 𝑚2 . Find the total surface area and volume
of the polyhedron.
Given: Solution:
𝐴𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 = 3 𝑚2 𝑑 = 109.4712206°
3 𝑑
𝑛𝑝𝑠 tan
2
𝑉=
180°
24 tan2
Required: 𝑛
𝑇𝑆𝐴 109.4712206°
3 tan
3 8 2𝑚
𝑉= 2
𝑉 180° 2
24 tan
3
𝑉 = 3.771236166 𝑚3