What is the origin of the word polygon?
The word polygon derives from the Greek adjective polús meaning much or many and gōnía meaning corner or angle. Some scholars suggest that gónu meaning knee may be the origin of gon instead.
Questions about Polygon
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How are interior angles calculated for any simple n-gon?
The sum of interior angles for any simple n-gon equals n minus 2 multiplied by 180 degrees. This occurs because any simple n-gon can be divided into triangles each containing 180 degrees.
When did regular polygons appear in ancient history?
Regular polygons were known to ancient Greeks with pentagrams appearing as early as the 7th century B.C. on kraters found at Caere. Thomas Bradwardine conducted the first systematic study of non-convex polygons in general during the 14th century.
Where do natural polygon formations occur in geology?
Cooling lava forms tightly packed columns of basalt creating regular hexagons visible at Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. Similar formations occur at Devil's Postpile in California where geological processes produce polygonal patterns.
How are polygons used in computer graphics databases?
A polygon serves as a primitive used in modeling and rendering within computer graphics databases. Vertices contain coordinates alongside attributes like color shading and texture information stored in connectivity arrays.