What Is A Twelve Sided Shape Called?
Shapes have always been an essential part of our lives. From the toys we played with as children to the buildings we live in, shapes are everywhere. One of the most intriguing shapes is the twelve-sided shape. But what is it called exactly? In this article, we will explore the name and properties of this fascinating shape.
What is a Twelve Sided Shape?
A twelve-sided shape is a polygon with twelve sides and twelve angles. It is also known as a dodecagon. The word 'dodecagon' comes from the Greek words 'dodeka' meaning twelve and 'gonia' meaning angles. It is a two-dimensional shape that has straight sides and is closed. A dodecagon can be regular or irregular depending on the length of its sides and angles.
Properties of a Dodecagon
A regular dodecagon has twelve equal sides and twelve equal angles. Each angle measures 150 degrees, and the sum of all angles in a dodecagon is 1800 degrees. The area of a regular dodecagon can be calculated by the formula:
Area = 3 × square root of 3 × side length squared / 2
Where the side length is the length of each side of the dodecagon.
An irregular dodecagon has twelve sides and angles of different lengths. The angles can vary from 30 degrees to 150 degrees, and the sides can be of different lengths. The area of an irregular dodecagon can be calculated by dividing it into triangles and then finding the area of each triangle using the formula:
Area of the triangle = 1/2 × base × height
The area of the dodecagon is the sum of the areas of all the triangles.
Uses of a Dodecagon
Dodecagons are used in many different fields, including architecture, engineering, and mathematics. In architecture, dodecagons are used in the design of buildings, especially domes and cupolas. Engineers use dodecagons in the design of gears and bearings. In mathematics, dodecagons are used to solve many geometric problems.
Other Interesting Facts
Did you know that the dodecagon is one of the few polygons that has a name for every number of sides up to twelve? For example, a seven-sided polygon is called a heptagon, and a ten-sided polygon is called a decagon. However, for polygons with more than twelve sides, the names become less common and are usually referred to simply by the number of sides they have.
Another interesting fact is that the dodecagon is the shape of the British fifty pence coin. It was introduced in 1969 to replace the ten-shilling note and has been in circulation ever since.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a twelve-sided shape is called a dodecagon. It is a two-dimensional shape with twelve sides and angles. A dodecagon can be regular or irregular and has many uses in architecture, engineering, and mathematics. It is also an interesting shape with some quirky facts that make it even more intriguing. So, the next time you come across a dodecagon, you will know exactly what it is called!
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