Hexagon
polygon with six sides
A hexagon is a polygon with 6 sides and 6 corners (vertices). Like regular triangles and squares, hexagons fit together without gaps. This is known as a tessellation. Because of this, they are often used for tiling floors. They are also quite common in nature. For example, the honeycombs in a beehive are hexagons.
Regular hexagon | |
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Type | Regular polygon |
Edges and vertices | 6 |
Schläfli symbol | {6}, t{3} |
Coxeter diagram | |
Symmetry group | Dihedral (D6), order 2×6 |
Internal angle (degrees) | 120° |
Dual polygon | Self |
Properties | Convex, cyclic, equilateral, isogonal, isotoxal |
Hexagons: in nature and by humankind
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A beehive honeycomb
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North polar hexagonal cloud feature on Saturn, discovered by Voyager 1 and confirmed in 2006 by Cassini [1] Archived 2010-02-16 at the Wayback Machine [2] Archived 2010-09-27 at the Wayback Machine [3]
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Micrograph of a snowflake
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Hexagonal floor tessellations (in Rome)
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Naturally formed basalt columns from Giant's Causeway in Ireland; large masses must cool slowly to form a polygonal fracture pattern
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An aerial view of Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park
Related pages
changeOther websites
change- Definition and properties of a hexagon With interactive animation
- Cassini Images Bizarre Hexagon on Saturn Archived 2010-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
- Saturn's Strange Hexagon Archived 2010-02-16 at the Wayback Machine
- A hexagonal feature around Saturn's North Pole
- "Bizarre Hexagon Spotted on Saturn" - from Space.com (27 March 2007)