A triangular pyramid is a three-dimensional figure, in which all its faces are triangles. These pyramids are characterized by having a triangular base and three lateral triangular faces. Triangular pyramids have 4 faces, 6 edges, and 4 vertices. Three faces of the pyramid meet at each vertex. If all the faces are equilateral triangles, the figure is called a tetrahedron.
Here, we will learn more details about the faces, vertices, and edges of the triangular pyramids. We will use diagrams to illustrate the concepts.
Faces of a triangular pyramid
The faces of the triangular pyramid are the flat surfaces that are bounded by the vertices and edges. The faces shape the three-dimensional figure. All pyramids are made up of a base and lateral triangular faces.
In the case of triangular pyramids, we have a triangular face at the base and three lateral triangular faces. This means that we have four triangular faces in total. The lateral triangular faces meet at a single top point called the vertex.
The surface area of the pyramid is found by adding the areas of all the faces of the figure. We know that the area of any triangle is equal to one-half the length of its base times the height of the triangle. Also, if the base is an equilateral triangle, the bases and the heights of the lateral faces will be equal, so the formula for the surface area of a pyramid is $latex \frac{1}{2}ba+\frac{3}{2}bh$.
Vertices of a triangular pyramid
The vertices of the triangular pyramid are the points where three edges meet. In general, vertices are defined as the points where two or more line segments meet. The vertices can also be considered as the points where three faces of the pyramid meet. In total, the triangular pyramids have 4 vertices.
Edges of a triangular pyramid
The edges of a triangular pyramid are the line segments that join two vertices. The edges are located at the limits of the pyramid. The edges are also defined as the line segments where two triangular faces of the pyramid meet.
In total, a triangular pyramid has 6 edges. In the diagram, we can see that each face has three edges and each edge is shared by two triangular faces.
See also
Interested in learning more about triangular pyramids? Take a look at these pages:
Jefferson Huera Guzman
Jefferson is the lead author and administrator of Neurochispas.com. The interactive Mathematics and Physics content that I have created has helped many students.
