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Cuboctahedron
The cuboctahedron is a 3-dimensional shape known as an Archimedean solid.
An Archimedean solid is a semi-regular 3-dimensional shape, unlike a Platonic solid,
which is a regular 3-dimensional shape. An Archimedean solid is made up with regular
shapes for faces, but not each shape is similar. In this case, the cuboctahedron is made
up of eight equilateral triangles and six square faces, all regular shapes, but not all
similar. This gives the cuboctahedron a total of 14 faces. There are twelve vertices; at
each vertex, the vertices of two squares meet up with the vertices of two triangles,
making for a total of four faces meeting at each vertex. Although it is not a Platonic
solid, the cuboctahedron has plenty of interesting properties of its own. In this paper,
various methods for building the cuboctahedron, finding its volume and its surface area
will be discussed.
There are plenty of methods that can be used to find the measurements for side
lengths, surface area or volume for the cuboctahedron. Keep in mind that surface area
is the total sum of the area of all of the faces of a 3-dimensional figure and volume is the
amount of space a 3-dimensional figure takes up. The best method to use for finding the
side lengths of the cuboctahedron is using the base of the cube and marking the
midpoints. Then, when a line is drawn from one midpoint to the midpoint of an adjacent
edge (a side connected to the original side by a vertex), the measurement of the line
that connects them is the side length of the cuboctahedron. In this case, the cube will
have a side length of 19.8 units.
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1
2
1
2 x
x
Figure 1. Finding the Side Length of a Cuboctahedron
Figure 1 shows one method for finding the measurement of the side length of a
cuboctahedron. As shown as the blue line on the bottom of the square, a single side
length is equal to the measurement of the variable x which, in this case, is 19.8 units.
The blue line on the left side of the square is the segment that connects the midpoint of
the side to the vertex. This makes the measurement of that side
1
2 x, or in this case
half of 19.8, which is 9.9 units. A basic understanding of special right triangles also
known as 45-45-90 triangles is required to find the final side length of the
cuboctahedron. In a 45-45-90 triangle, the two legs are always congruent, and the
hypotenuse (the line directly across from the 90 degree angle) is always equal to the
measurement of one of the legs multiplied by 2. In this case, that makes the final
measurement 9.92 units.
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This number is the same measurement for every side of the cuboctahedron,
including the side lengths of the triangle faces.
1
2 x
1
4 x2(
3)
or
1
4 x
1
2 x2, or in this case, where x = 19.8, 9.92 units. From here on out, a basic
knowledge of 30-60-90 triangles is necessary to solve for the measurement of the
altitude, which is needed to find the overall area of the triangle. In a 30-60-90 triangle,
the hypotenuse is always twice the size of the side opposite the 30 degree angle. This
Werthmann - 4
makes the side that connects the 90 degree and 60 degree angles
case, where x is the side length of the cube, which is 19.8 units,
1
4 x2. In this
1
4 of x is 4.95, which
makes the overall measurement of the side length between the 90 degree and 60
degree angles equal to 4.952 units. In a 30-60-90 triangle, the side opposite the 60
degree angle is always the measurement of the side opposite the 30 degree angle
multiplied by 3. That makes the measurement of the blue line highlighted in Figure 2
equal to
1
4 x2(3), which simplifies to
1
4 x6. When the value for x is substituted
into the expression, the altitude of the triangle face of the cuboctahedron is found to be
4.956.
Now that the side lengths and altitudes for the two types of faces for the
x = side length of cube
1
Asq = ( 2 x2)2
Asq = (9.92)2
Asq = (9.92)(9.92)
Asq = 98.01(2)(2)
Asq = 98.014
Asq = 98.01(2)
Asq = 196.02 units2
Atri =
Atri =
1
2
1
2
(x2)(x6)
(9.92)(4.956)
Atri = (4.952)(4.956)
Atri = 24.5025(2)(6)
Atri = 24.5025(12)
Atri = 24.5025(23)
A = 49.0053 units2
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corners of the cube are cut off at the midpoints. To help with this, Figure 5 on the next
page is a picture of the net used to create the corner pyramids.
1
2
1
2 x
1
2 x2 units. The three triangles connected to the
base triangle will form the three lateral faces of the pyramid. But theres something else
important to note about these triangles. They are 45-45-90 triangles, which means that
to find the length of their legs is very simple; divide the length of the hypotenuse by 2.
Fortunately, since the red highlighted side length of the base triangle is the hypotenuse,
and there is already a 2 at the end of the equation, that means to find the length of the
45-45-90 triangles legs the 2 just has to be taken off of the end of the expression. That
Werthmann - 7
1
2 x. In this case, since x =
19.8 units, that makes the measurement of the red segment and the other sides of the
equilateral triangle used as the base equal to 9.92 units, and the measurement of the
blue segment and all of the other 45-45-90 triangle legs equal to 9.9 units.
To find the volume of a single pyramid, the equation used to find a pyramids
1
3
of the pyramid, Abase is the area of the base of the pyramid and H pyr is the height of the
pyramid. Although the equilateral triangle is assumed to be the base, in reality it is much
easier to find the volume if one of the special right triangles is used as the base. This is
because when one of the right triangles is used as the base, the length of the legs of the
other isosceles triangles can be used as the altitude.
Werthmann - 8
1
2
meaning they have the same length. In this case, that length is
1
2 x, where x = 19.8
units. That means that each of the blue lines the legs of the triangles is equal to 9.9
units. Now this number just has to be substituted into the equation for the volume of a
pyramid.
Vpyr =
1
3
Vpyr =
Vpyr =
1
3
Vpyr =
1
3
(Abase)(Hpyr)
1
( 2 LtriHtri)(Hpyr)
1
( 2 )(9.9)(9.9)(9.9)
1
6 (970.299)
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When the correct values are substituted into this equation, the volume of a single
corner pyramid is found to be 161.717 units 3. To use this value to find the volume of the
cuboctahedron, it has to be multiplied by eight then subtracted from the volume of the
cube that holds the cuboctahedron. This is because this pyramid is the part that is cut
off of the corners of the cube and gotten rid of. And since there are eight corners over
all, eight of these parts must be taken off.
Vcubo = x3-8(Vpyr)
Vcubo = (19.8)3-8(161.7165)
Vcubo = 7762.392 1293.732
Vcubo = 6468.66 units3
Vcubo = volume of the cuboctahedron, x = side length of cube,
Vpyr = volume of the corner pyramid
Once the correct numbers are substituted into their proper spots, the volume of
the cuboctahedron is found to be 6,468.66 units 3.
This is not the only method that can be used for finding the volume of the
cuboctahedron, though. Another method is to make a right square prism and four
rectangular pyramids. When the right square prism is put into the center of the cube
with its vertices touching the midpoints of the faces of the cube, and four rectangular
pyramids are attached to the lateral faces of the prism, it makes a cuboctahedron inside
of the cube, as shown in Figure 8 below.
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Figure 8. Cuboctahedron Created with a Right Square Prism and Rectangular Pyramids
1
2 x
Figure 9. Rectangular Prism Net
Figure 9 shows the net of the rectangular prism that can be used to make the
cuboctahedron. The blue highlighted is easy to find because it is simply the same height
as the cube, which is 19.8 units tall. So the blue line is equal to 19.8 units. The red line
is fairly easy to find as well because it has already been solved for. The red line in this
Werthmann - 11
figure is the same red line as the one in Figure 5. The expression for that line was
x2, which makes the side length for the red line in this figure also
1
2
1
2 x2. Since x is
equal to 19.8 units, the side length of the red line ends up being 9.92 units.
To find the volume of this prism, the equation is V pri = Abase(Hpri), which is shown
with substitutions in Figure 10 below.
Vpri = Abase(Hpri)
Vpri = Lbase(Hbase)(19.8)
Vpri = 9.92(9.92)(19.8)
Vpri = 98.01(2)(2)(19.8)
Vpri = 98.014(19.8)
Vpri = 98.01(2)(19.8)
Vpri = 3881.196 units3
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1
2 x
1
2 x2. In this case, because x = 19.8, that makes the red side length equal to 9.92
units.
Finding the volume of this pyramid is fairly simple, as long as its relation to the
cube is known. Here, it is pushed into the corner of the cube, placed next to the right
square prism.
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1
4 x
1
2 x
Figure 12. Relation Between the Prism, Pyramid and Outer Cube
In Figure 12, the red lines are the outline of the base of the prism. The empty
space left in the corners of the black square (the outline of the cube) is the space that
the pyramid takes up. Because of this, the blue line is the height of the pyramid. As
shown above, the triangles that the blue line makes are 45-45-90 triangles. This means
that the leg of the triangle (the blue line) and the side length of the bisected red line
1
4 x2, or in this case, since x =
19.8, the blue line and the height of the pyramid are equal 4.952 units.
The volume of the pyramid can be found using the measurements that have
already been found. They just have to be substituted into the equation used for finding
the volume of a pyramid.
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Vpyr =
Vpyr =
Vpyr =
1
3 (Abase)(Hpyr)
1
3 (Lbase)(Hbase)(4.952)
1
3 (19.8)(9.92)(4.952)
Vpyr = (6.6)(9.92)(4.952)
Vpyr = (65.342)(4.952)
Vpyr = 323.4334
Vpyr = 323.433(2)
Vpyr = 646.866 units3
volume the
of the
pyramid,
= area of the Pyramid
base of the rectangular pyramid,
pyr =Finding
baseRectangular
FigureV13.
Volume
of A
the
When the proper numbers are substituted into the equation, as shown in Figure
13, the volume of the pyramid ends up being 646.866 units 3. Now that the volume of
both the prism and pyramid are known, its possible to find the total volume of the
cuboctahedron. Because it takes four pyramids and a single prism to create a
cuboctahedron, to find the volume simply means multiplying the volume of the pyramid
by four and adding it to the volume of the prism.
Vcubo = 4(Vpyr)+(Vpri)
Vcubo = 4(646.866)+(3881.2)
Vcubo = 2587.464+3881.196
Vcubo = 6468.66 units3
Vcubo = volume of the cuboctahedron, Vpyr = volume of the rectangular pyramid,
Vpri = volume of the right square prism
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But there is yet another way to solve for the volume of a cuboctahedron. This
method requires eight tetrahedrons and six regular square pyramids, which is show in
part in Figure 15 below. .
Figure 15. Creating the Cuboctahedron with Tetrahedrons and Regular Square
Pyramids
The tetrahedron is a triangular pyramid made with four congruent triangles, and
the regular square pyramid has a square base and four congruent triangles for lateral
faces.
1
2 x
Werthmann - 16
Figure 16 shows the net for a tetrahedron. All of the triangles in the tetrahedrons
net are congruent, meaning all of their side lengths are congruent as well. That means
that the measurement of the red segment is also the measurement for all of the other
sides of the tetrahedron.
Figure 17. Square Pyramid, Tetrahedron and their Placements in the Cuboctahedron
Figure 17 shows the placement of the tetrahedron in the cuboctahedron. One
side length is shown by the red highlighted line. This measurement connects the
midpoints of two adjacent edges of the cube, which makes finding the measurements
for the side lengths of the tetrahedron simple, because that measurement has already
been found in Figure 1 and multiple other figures. The measurement for the segment is
1
2 x2 units. In this case, that makes the red segments in both Figure 16 and Figure
17 equal to 9.92 units, as well as all of the other sides of the tetrahedrons.
Finding the height of the tetrahedron is tricky. It requires knowledge of the
relationship between the equilateral triangle faces altitudes, and the properties of
30-60-90 triangles.
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1
4 x2
(3)
or
1
2 x
1 1
( 34
2 1
( 34
1
4 x
Figure 18. Finding the Altitudes of the Tetrahedrons Triangular Faces
Figure 18 is a picture of one of the faces of the tetrahedron, along with all three
of its altitudes. To start finding the height of the tetrahedron, the altitude of the face must
be found first. In this case, its the green line. Because it is an equilateral triangle, the
face can be turned into two 30-60-90 triangles. And since one side length is
1
2 x2,
1
2 x2, which in this case is 9.92 units, since x = 19.8
units. Because its a 30-60-90, the hypotenuse is always twice the size of the littlest
1
4 x2, which is 4.952 units. And because
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the longer leg in a 30-60-90 triangle is always the length of the shortest leg multiplied by
3, the length of the green leg is 4.956 units. Now comes the part where a basic
knowledge of the equilateral triangles altitudes is necessary.
In an equilateral triangle, when all three altitudes are drawn in, they intersect in
the center of the triangle. The center point divides each altitude into two parts the
1
3
the overall altitude. That means that in this case the red segment is
1
3
2
3
2
3
of
of the length of
measurement. Since the altitude was found to be 4.956 units, that makes the red
segment 3.36 units long and the blue segment 1.656 units long.
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1
2 x
2 1
( 3 4
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Figure 20. Finding the Height of the Tetrahedron Using the Pythagorean Theorem
When the numbers are properly substituted into the Pythagorean Theorem, the
height of the tetrahedron is found to be 130.68 units. Now the volume of the
tetrahedron can be found.
Vpyr =
Vpyr =
Vpyr =
1
3 (Abase)(Hpyr)
1
1
(
3
2 )(Lbase)(Hbase)(Hpyr)
1
6 (9.92)(4.956)(130.68)
Vpyr = 1.652(4.956)(130.68)
Vpyr = 8.167512(130.68)
Vpyr = 8.1675(1568.16)
Vpyr = 8.1675(39.6)
Vpyr = 323.433 units3
Figure 21.VFinding
the of
Volume
of the Tetrahedron
the tetrahedron,
Abase = area of the base of the tetrahedron,
pyr = volume
As shown above in Figure 21, the total volume of a single tetrahedron is 323.433
units3. The next step in this method of finding the volume of a cuboctahedron is to find
the volume of a regular square pyramid.
Werthmann - 21
1
2 x
figures throughout this paper, but primarily it can be seen in Figure 1. Because it is
1
2
x2, and x = 19.8 units, the side lengths of this regular square pyramid net are all 9.92
units.
Finding the height of this pyramid is very simple. This is because of its relation to
the cube. It is exactly half of the height of the outer cube that the cuboctahedron is
Werthmann - 22
made within, so the expression used for finding the height of the pyramid in is
1
2 x,
Vpyr =
1
3 (Abase)(Hpyr)
Vpyr =
1
2
3 (Lbase) (9.9)
Vpyr =
Vpyr =
Vpyr =
1
1
2
(
3
2 x2) (9.9)
1
2
3 (9.92) (9.9)
1
3 (98.01)(2)(9.9)
Vpyr = (32.67)(2)(9.9)
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