Morris - Nadolsky 1

The Cuboctahedron
It is important to know that, in life, there is almost always more than one way to solve a
problem or see a situation. Thinking about a problem in more than one way encourages further
comprehension of the situation and can often lead to a better solution. Multiple approaches to a
situation can also verify a correct answer or thought. The cuboctahedron is an example of how a
single figure can be seen in many ways. Finding the volume, surface area, and side length of the
cuboctahedron can be accomplished with any of the three case situations shown, each time using
different aspects of the shape.
Case One is a cube with 8 corners cut out at the midpoints of the sides.

Figure 1. Case One

Figure 1 above shows the main components of Case One. The triangular pyramid, on the
right, represents one of the corners cut off at the cubes midpoints. The highlighted red segments
are corresponding sides.
Case Two is four rectangular pyramids attached to a central square prism.

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Figure 2. Case Two

Figure 2 above shows the main components of Case Two. The vertical green segments
are corresponding sides; the horizontal red segments are corresponding sides.
Case Three is eight tetrahedrons and six square pyramids.

Figure 3. Case Three

Figure 3 above shows the main components of Case Three. The red highlighted edges of
the triangular pyramid correspond with the red highlighted edges on the left. The green
highlighted edges of the square pyramid correspond with the green highlighted edges on the left.
Part A: Side Length of Cuboctahedron
In this case, the original side length of the cube is 33.8 centimeters. Since the corners are
cut off at the cubes midpoints, a 45-45-90 triangle can be formed with two 16.9 centimeter sides.

Figure 4. Cuboctahedron Side Length

Figure 4 above shows the 45-45-90 triangle used to find the cuboctahedrons side length.

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Half of 33.8 is 16.9, and the hypotenuse is found by multiplying 16.9 by 2. Using the
special properties of 45-45-90 triangles, a side length of 16.92 cm is found. Let
Le represent the length of a cuboctahedron edge.
Part B: Solving for Surface Area
The surface area of the cuboctahedron will be solved using Case 3, eight tetrahedrons and
six square pyramids (see figure 3). To solve for the surface area, the areas of the bases of the
tetrahedrons and pyramids must be calculated. This is because the bases of the shapes are the
squares and triangles seen on the outside of the cuboctahedron.
The area of the tetrahedron base can be calculated using 30-60-90 triangles.

Figure 5. Area of Tetrahedron Base

Figure 5 above shows the solving of the area of the tetrahedron base.
When using 30-60-90 triangles, the longer leg (the height of the triangle, in
this case) is half the hypotenuse times 3. So, half of 16.9 is 8.45; 8.45(3)
equals 8.453. Let Atr equal the area of a triangle face (142.8053 cm2).

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Figure 6. Area of Square Pyramid Base

Figure 6 above shows the solving of the area of the square pyramid base. The area is
found by calculating Le2, or (16.92)2. Let Asq represent the area of a square face (571.22 cm2).
The total surface area of the cuboctahedron can be found by calculating Atr(8)+Asq(6)
since there are eight tetrahedrons and six square pyramids.
TSA= Atr(8) + Asq(6)
TSA= 142.8053(8) + 571.22(6)
TSA= 1142.443 + 3427.32
Figure 7. Solving for Total Surface Area
Figure 7 above shows the solving for the total surface area of the
cuboctahedron. When the area of all 14 faces is added together, a value of
1142.443 + 3427.32 cm2 is found.
Part C: Corner Pyramid Dimensions (Case One)
Case One involves 8 corner pyramids cut off at the cubes midpoints. Since it has
already been established that the sides of the 45-45-90 triangles are 16.9 centimeters (see figure
4), the net of the corner pyramid can be labeled as follows.

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Figure 8. Net for Case 1

Figure 8 above shows the net of the corner pyramid of Case 1. Note
that the red equilateral triangle in the center has sides of 16.92 cm. This is
found using the special properties of 45-45-90 triangles (see figure 4).
When one of the three green right triangles is used as a base, the height of the pyramid
equals 16.9 centimeters. The area of one of these right triangles can be found using the formula
A= bh.
A= bh
A= 16.916.9
A= 142.805 cm2
Figure 9. Solving for Area of Corner Pyramid Base
Figure 9 above shows the solving of the area of a corner pyramid base from Case One. A
total area of 142.805 cm2 was found. Let Apb represent the area of the pyramid base.
The volume of a pyramid can be calculated by using the formula V= Bh, where B
equals the area of the base and h equals the height.
V= Bh
V= Apbh
V= 142.80516.9

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V= 2413.4045
V=

2413.4045
cm3
3

Figure 10. Solving for Volume of Corner Pyramid

Since 8 of these corner pyramids are cut off from the original cube, the volume can be
found by using the equation V=Voc - 8(Vcp) where Voc equals the volume of the original cube. Voc

(33.83) equals 38,614.472 cm3. This number can also be expressed as

115,843.416
.
3

V=Voc - 8(Vcp)
V=

115,843.416
3

- 8(

V=

115,843.416
3

V=

96,536.18
cm3
3

2,413.4045
)
3

19,307.236
3

Figure 11. Solving for Total Volume of Cuboctahedron

Figure 11 above shows the solving for the total volume of the cuboctahedron in Case 1.
By multiplying the original cube volume by three, a common denominator of 3 is found; this
allows for the two values to be accurately subtracted and the total volume to be solved for.
Part D: Square Prism and Rectangular Pyramid Dimensions (Case Two)
Case 2 involves four rectangular pyramids attached to a central square prism. To find the
volume, first the dimensions of the two nets must be completed.

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Figure 12. Net of the Square Prism

Figure 12 above shows the dimensions for the net of the square prism. Since the red sides
of the squares on the left and right are sides of the cuboctahedron, they equal 16.92 cm. The
green sides were found to be 33.8 cm because they run the entire vertical
length of the original cube, whose side length was 33.8 centimeters.
The area of the base of the square prism (Asq) has been previously calculated at 571.22
cm (see figure 6). Since the height of the prism was found to be 33.8 cm, the volume can be
solved for.
V= Asqh
V=571.2233.8
V= 19,307.236 cm3
Figure 13. Volume of the Square Prism
Figure 13 above shows the solving of the volume of the square prism. Let Vsqpr represent
the volume of the square prism.
The next step to finding the volume in Case Two is solving the dimensions of the net of
the the rectangular pyramids attached to the central square prism.

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Figure 14. Net of a Rectangular Pyramid

Figure 14 above shows the net of one of the rectangular pyramids. The red highlighted
sides of the top and bottom triangles are sides of the cuboctahedron and therefore equal to Le
(16.92 cm). The vertical green segments of the central rectangle were
found to be 33.8 cm, because they run the entire vertical length of the
original cube with 33.8 cm sides.
The area of the rectangle base can be calculated using the formula A=bh. In this case,
the base equals 16.92 cm and the height equals 33.8 cm, so the area of the
rectangle is 571.222 square centimeters. Let Arb represent the area of a
rectangular pyramid base. The next step to finding the volume of the
pyramid is finding the height. When a right triangle is formed with sides
consisting of the height, slant height (8.456 cm; see figure 5), and half the
base (16.9 cm), the pyramids height can be solved for using the
Pythagorean Theorem.

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Figure 15. Solving for Height of Rectangular Pyramid

Figure 15 above shows how the height of the rectangular pyramid was
solved for. Using the Pythagorean Theorem a value of 142.805 cm was
obtained. Let hrp represent the height of a rectangular pyramid.
Since both the base area and the height of the pyramid have been found, the volume of
the pyramid can be solved for. The formula for volume of a pyramid is V= Ah, where A
equals the area of the base and h equals the height of the pyramid. In this case, the volume of the
pyramid will equal Arbhrp.
V=Arbhrp
V= 571.222142.805
V= 571.22285.61
V= 9,653.618
V=

96,536.18
cm3
3

Figure 16. Solving for Volume of a Rectangular Pyramid

Figure 16 above shows how the volume of one rectangular pyramid was solved for. Let
Vrp represent the volume of one rectangular pyramid.
The total volume of the cuboctahedron in Case Two will be found by adding the volume

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of the square prism to the volume of one rectangular pyramid times four. The volume of the

square prism, 19,307.236 cm3, can also be expressed as

57,921.708
cm3.
3

V= Vsqpr+4(Vrp)
V=

57,921.708
9,653.618
+ 4(
)
3
3

V=

57,921.708
38,614.472
+
3
3

V=

96,536.18
cm3
3

Figure 17. Total Cuboctahedron Volume, Case Two

Figure 17 above shows how the volume of the cuboctahedron was found in Case Two.
Note that the final volume value is the same as the final value of Case One (see figure 11).
Part E: Tetrahedron and Square Prism Dimensions
Case 3 involves 8 tetrahedrons and 6 square pyramids. The first step
to finding the volume in Case 3 is finding the dimensions of the tetrahedron
and square pyramid nets. Since both the tetrahedron and square pyramid
have all equal sides and the cuboctahedron side length is 16.92 cm, all
their side lengths are 16.92 cm.
The first step to finding the tetrahedrons volume is finding the area of
its base, which has already been calculated at 142.8053 square centimeters
(see figure 5). The next step is to find the height of the tetrahedron. When
the base of a 3-D figure is an equilateral triangle, the altitude of the figure
splits the apothem into and . Since the apothem of the tetrahedron base

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is 8.456, one side of a right triangle can be

1
8.456, or
3

8.45
6. The
3

other two sides will be the height of the tetrahedron and the slant height
(8.456).

Figure 18. Solving for Tetrahedron Height

Figure 18 above shows how the height of the tetrahedron was solved for. Note that

between steps 3 and 4, 428.415 becomes

3855.7345
. The value 428.415 was multiplied by 9
9

to create a common denominator of 9.

The volume of the tetrahedron can be calculated by using the formula V= Ah, where
A equals the area of the tetrahedrons base and h equals its height.
V= Ah
V= 142.8053

3427.32
3

V= 142.80510,281.96/3

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V= 142.805101.4/3
V= 142.80533.8
V=

4,826.809
cm3
3

Figure 19. Solving for Tetrahedron Volume

Figure 19 above shows the solving for the volume of the tetrahedron. Let Vtet represent
the volume of one tetrahedron.
To find the volume of the square pyramid, the area of the base and the length of the
height and slant height must be found. The area of the base has already been calculated to be
571.22 cm2 (see figure 6), and the slant height to be 8.456 cm (see figure 5).
To find the height, a right triangle consisting of the height, slant height
(8.456 cm), and half the base length (8.452 cm) will be formed.

Figure 20. Solving for Height of Square Pyramid

Figure 20 above shows how the height of the square pyramid was found. Let hsq represent
the height of a square pyramid.
The volume of the square pyramid can be calculated by using the formula V= Ah,
where A equals the area of the square base (Asq) and h equals the height of the pyramid (hsq).
V= Asqhsq

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V= 571.2216.9
V=

9,653.618
cm3
3

Figure 21. Solving for Volume of Square Pyramid

Figure 21 above shows how the volume of the square pyramid was found. Let Vsqpy
represent the volume of one square pyramid.
The total volume of the cuboctahedron in Case 3 can be found by adding the volume of
eight tetrahedrons to the volume of six square pyramids.
V=8(Vtet) + 6(Vsqpy)
V=8(

4,826.809
9,653.618
) + 6(
)
3
3

V=

38,614.472
3

V=

96,536.18
3

57,921.708
3

cm3

Figure 22. Total Volume for Case 3

Figure 22 above shows how the total volume was found in Case 3. Note that the final
value is the same as the final value of Cases 1 and 2.
Part F: Conclusion
The volume of the cuboctahedron was found to be

96,536.18
3

cm3 using three

different methods, demonstrating how approaching a problem in multiple ways is helpful when
verifying information or finding the most efficient way to do something. The volume was the
same in every case because, even though each case all involved different 3-D shapes, the entire
overall cuboctahedron was the same size and shape. Conflicting schedules made meeting outside
of school an issue, so to improvise, a google document was used and communication was done at

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school and through email and text messages. The cuboctahedron, while challenging to build and
analyze, teaches important lessons about accuracy, improvisation, and seeing just one thing in
more than just one way.