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<!doctype html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8">  <title>Platonic Solids</title> <meta name="description" content="A Platonic Solid is a 3D shape where: each face is the same regular polygon. the same number of polygons meet at each vertex (corner).">  <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.mathsisfun.com/platonic_solids.html"> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https://www.mathsisfun.com/platonic_solids.html", "name": "Platonic Solids", "description": "A Platonic Solid is a 3D shape where: each face is the same regular polygon. the same number of polygons meet at each vertex (corner).", "image": "https://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/images/poly-tetrahedron-hdr.png", "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Math Is Fun", "url": "https://www.mathsisfun.com" }, "mainEntity": { "@type": "Article", "headline": "Platonic Solids", "description": "A Platonic Solid is a 3D shape where: each face is the same regular polygon. the same number of polygons meet at each vertex (corner).", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rod Pierce" }, "image": "https://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/images/poly-tetrahedron-hdr.png" } } </script> <meta property="og:title" content="Platonic Solids"> <meta property="og:description" content="A Platonic Solid is a 3D shape where: each face is the same regular polygon. the same number of polygons meet at each vertex (corner)."> <meta property="og:type" content="article"> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Math is Fun"> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.mathsisfun.com/platonic_solids.html"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/images/poly-tetrahedron-hdr.png"> <meta name="keywords" content="math, maths, mathematics, school, homework, education"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, user-scalable=yes"> <meta name="HandheldFriendly" content="true"> <meta name="referrer" content="always"> <link rel="preload" href="../images/style/font-champ-bold.ttf" as="font" type="font/ttf" crossorigin> <link rel="preload" href="../style4.css" as="style"> <link rel="preload" href="../main4.js" as="script"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="../style4.css"> <script src="../main4.js" defer></script> </head> <body id="bodybg"> <div id="stt"></div> <div id="adTop"></div> <header> <div id="hdr"></div> <div id="tran"></div> <div id="adHide"></div> <div id="cookOK"></div> </header> <div class="mid"> <nav> <div id="menuWide" class="menu"></div> <div id="logo"><a href="https://www.mathsisfun.com/"><img src="../images/style/logo.svg" alt="Math is Fun"></a></div> <div id="themeChg"></div> <div id="search" role="search"></div> <div id="linkto"></div> <div id="menuSlim" class="menu"></div> <div id="menuTiny" class="menu"></div> </nav> <div id="extra"></div> <article id="content" role="main">  <h1>Platonic Solids</h1> <div class="center"><a href="geometry/tetrahedron.html"><img src="geometry/images/poly-tetrahedron.svg" alt="Tetrahedron" height="94" width="90"></a><a href="geometry/hexahedron.html"><img src="geometry/images/poly-cube.svg" alt="Cube" height="88" width="88"></a><a href="geometry/octahedron.html"><img src="geometry/images/poly-octahedron.svg" alt="Octahedron" height="86" width="85"></a><a href="geometry/dodecahedron.html"><img src="geometry/images/poly-dodecahedron.svg" alt="Dodecahedron" height="93" width="93"></a> <a href="geometry/icosahedron.html"><img src="geometry/images/poly-icosahedron.svg" alt="Icosahedron" height="94" width="81"></a> </div> <p>A Platonic Solid is a <a href="geometry/common-3d-shapes.html">3D shape</a> where:</p> <ul> <li>each face is the same <a href="geometry/polygons.html">regular polygon</a></li> <li>the same number of polygons meet at each vertex (corner)</li> </ul> <div class="example"> <h3>Example: the Cube is a Platonic Solid</h3> <table style="border: 0;"> <tr> <td><img src="geometry/images/poly-cube.svg" alt="Hexahedron or Cube" style="float:left" height="88" width="88"></td> <td> <ul> <li>each face is the same-sized square</li> <li>3 squares meet at each corner</li> </ul></td> </tr> </table> </div> <div class="gap"></div> <p class="center larger">There are only five platonic solids.</p> <h2>The Platonic Solids</h2> <p class="center80">For each solid we have two <b>printable nets</b> (with and without tabs). You can make <a href="geometry/model-construction-tips.html">models</a> with them!<br> <br> Print them on a piece of cardboard, cut them out, tape the edges, and you will have your own platonic solids.</p> <table style="border-spacing: 5px; margin:auto;"> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="geometry/tetrahedron.html"><img src="geometry/images/poly-tetrahedron.svg" alt="Tetrahedron" height="94" width="90"></a></td> <td><b class="larger">Tetrahedron</b> <ul> <li>3 triangles meet at each vertex</li> <li>4 faces</li> <li>4 vertices</li> <li>6 edges</li> <li><a href="tetrahedron.html">Tetrahedron Net</a></li> <li><a href="geometry/tetrahedron-model.html">Tetrahedron Net (with tabs)</a></li> <li><a href="geometry/tetrahedron.html">Spin a Tetrahedron</a></li> </ul></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> </td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="geometry/hexahedron.html"><img src="geometry/images/poly-cube.svg" alt="Cube" height="88" width="88"></a></td> <td><b class="larger">Cube</b> <ul> <li>3 squares meet at each vertex</li> <li>6 faces</li> <li>8 vertices</li> <li>12 edges</li> <li><a href="cube.html">Cube Net</a></li> <li><a href="geometry/cube-model.html">Cube Net (with tabs)</a></li> <li><a href="geometry/hexahedron.html">Spin a Cube</a></li> </ul></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> </td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="geometry/octahedron.html"><img src="geometry/images/poly-octahedron.svg" alt="Octahedron" height="86" width="85"></a></td> <td><b class="larger">Octahedron</b> <ul> <li>4 triangles meet at each vertex</li> <li>8 faces</li> <li>6 vertices</li> <li>12 edges</li> <li><a href="octahedron.html">Octahedron Net</a></li> <li><a href="geometry/octahedron-model.html">Octahedron Net (with tabs)</a></li> <li><a href="geometry/octahedron.html">Spin an Octahedron</a></li> </ul></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> </td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="geometry/dodecahedron.html"><img src="geometry/images/poly-dodecahedron.svg" alt="Dodecahedron" height="93" width="93"></a></td> <td><b class="larger">Dodecahedron</b> <ul> <li>3 pentagons meet at each vertex</li> <li>12 faces</li> <li>20 vertices</li> <li>30 edges</li> <li><a href="dodecahedron.html">Dodecahedron Net</a></li> <li><a href="geometry/dodecahedron-model.html">Dodecahedron Net (with tabs)</a></li> <li><a href="geometry/dodecahedron.html">Spin a Dodecahedron</a></li> </ul></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> </td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align:center;"> <a href="geometry/icosahedron.html"><img src="geometry/images/poly-icosahedron.svg" alt="Icosahedron" height="94" width="81"></a></td> <td><b class="larger">Icosahedron</b> <ul> <li>5 triangles meet at each vertex</li> <li>20 faces</li> <li>12 vertices</li> <li>30 edges</li> <li><a href="icosahedron.html">Icosahedron Net</a></li> <li><a href="geometry/icosahedron-model.html">Icosahedron Net (with tabs)</a></li> <li><a href="geometry/icosahedron.html">Spin an Icosahedron</a></li> </ul></td> </tr> </table> <div class="gap"></div><p>Creating your own models is rewarding. Experience the magic as flat paper transforms into an impressive 3D shape.</p> <div class="center"> Also see <a href="geometry/polyhedra-images.html">Images of Polyhedra</a>:<br> <div class="box"><img src="geometry/images/black-platonic-dice.jpg" alt="platonic dice"></div> </div> <div class="history">Did you know? Platonic Solids get their name from the famous Greek philosopher <b>Plato</b> (424 to 348 BC) who loved their symmetry and perfection, and associated them with the classical elements earth, water, air, fire, and the cosmos!</div> <div class="gap"></div> <div class="related"> <a href="geometry/model-construction-tips.html">Model Construction Tips</a> <a href="geometry/platonic-solids-why-five.html">Why Only 5 Platonic Solids? (Advanced Topic)</a> <a href="geometry/solid-geometry.html">Solid Geometry</a> <a href="geometry/index.html">Geometry Index</a> </div>  </article> <div id="adend" class="centerfull noprint"></div> <footer id="footer" class="centerfull noprint"></footer> <div id="copyrt">Copyright © 2025 Rod Pierce</div> </div> </body>  </html>