Object Details
teacher of maker
Wheeler, Albert Harry
maker
Anderson, R.
Description
The Archimedean solids are polyhedra with regular polygons for sides and edges of equal length. For example, this 26-faced model has twelve square sides, eight hexagonal sides, and six octagonal sides. The surface is called a truncated cuboctahedron, a rhombitruncated cuboctahedron, or a great rhombicuboctahedron.
Archimedean solids were known to the Hellenistic Greek mathematician Archimedes and studied by the 17th-century mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler. This particular example was made from balsa wood by A. Harry Wheeler’s student R. Anderson, and is dated April 15, ’38. It is number 18 in Wheeler’s listing of models.
For other examples of models of this surface, see MA.304723.063 (plastic) and MA.304723.064 (paper).
References:
Magnus J. Wenninger, Polyhedron Models, Cambridge: The University Press, 1971, p. 29.
A. H. Wheeler, Catalog of Models, A. H. Wheeler Papers, Mathematics Collections, National Museum of American History.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of Helen M. Wheeler
date made
1938
ID Number
MA.304723.065
accession number
304723
catalog number
304723.065
Object Name
geometric model
Physical Description
wood, balsa (overall material)
tan (overall color)
cut and glued (overall production method/technique)
Measurements
average spatial: 8 cm x 8 cm x 8 cm; 3 5/32 in x 3 5/32 in x 3 5/32 in
place made
United States: Massachusetts, Worcester
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Mathematics
Science & Mathematics
Mathematical Association of America Objects
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Subject
Mathematics
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_1065401