The Mathematical Gazette Volume 81 Issue 492 1997 (Doi 10.2307 - 3619613) Scott Johnson and Hans Walser - Pop-Up Polyhedra

Pop-up Polyhedra
Author(s): Scott Johnson and Hans Walser

Source: The Mathematical Gazette, Vol. 81, No. 492 (Nov., 1997), pp. 364-380
Published by: Mathematical Association
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364 THE MATHEMATICAL GAZE' l 'E
Pop-up polyhedra
SCOTTJOHNSONand HANS WALSER
Introduction
Once upon a time George Polya showed Jean Pedersen a birthdaycard
sent to him in the form of a pop-up cube. She studied it and subsequently
designed a pop-up octahedron(the constructionfor both of these models is
described in [1])*. With both of these models you can flatten them out, and
as soon as you remove your hand, the model will pop up into its original
shape.
We describe in this article how to constructsome new pop-up models of
the platonic solids. We also describe how to constructmodels that, although
they don't pop up, have other tantalising features. We then tell how these
models may be used to illustrate vividly some classical theorems about
polyhedra. We give a shorter,more practical,treatmentin [2].
In a final section we give some technical definitions, peculiar to the
constructionof these particularcollapsible polyhedra,along with some very
practicalinformationabout the actual constructionof the models.
The authors wish to thank Jean Pedersen, Santa Clara University,
California,for challenging them to build these models and for very helpful
criticism duringthe preparationof the manuscript.
A pop-up model of the edge-jumping cube

In our first model we have to press two opposite edges to flatten the
model (Figure 1).
4:,;tCi -40ns \ :_47 z

<?> t
i.ERER.4k
FIGURE 1 Pop-up model of the cube
When the opposite edges of this cube are pushed towardseach other, the
vertical faces will open and we will get the flat situationshown in the centre
of Figure 1. If we release the pressure, the rubberband inside the model,
attachedat two opposite points labelled R (see Figure 2), will pull together
so that the cube pops up. If the model is carefully built, the model will jump
into the air.
* Pedersensoon discovered that if her models collapsed it reducedthe amountof luggage she
had to carry.
POP-UPPOLYHEDRA 365
I . g . .. Hinge betweenpieces of the same layer
R R Hinge connectingwith the otherlayer
R Point of attachmentof rubberband
FIGURE2 One layer
Figure 2 shows one of the two congruentlayers of the flattenedpop-up

cube. A double line indicates a hinge between two pieces of the same layer,
a straightline alongside a dotted parallel line indicates a hinge-connection
with the congruent second layer. A single straight line indicates the
borderlineof a piece which is not connectedto any otherpiece.
Otheredge-jumpingplatonic solids
We learned by experience that models which collapse by pressing and
releasing two opposite edges work very well. Figure 3 shows one each of
the two layers of the edge-jumping octahedron, the edge-jumping
icosahedron and the edge-jumping dodecahedron. The opposite points
labeled Riindicate the attachmentof the ithrubberband.
/i
R,\ RI R2
R2 Ri
(a) (b) (c)
FIGURE3 Edge-jumpingoctahedron,icosahedron,dodecahedron
The analogous edge-jumping model of the tetrahedron is more

sophisticated; this is because opposite edges of a tetrahedron are not
parallel. They are in fact orthogonal.In order to constructan edge-jumping
tetrahedronwe had to invent a way to hinge trianglesthat touch each other
only at a vertex. Figure 4 shows both layers of our model, the top layer seen
from outside the tetrahedron,the bottom layer seen from inside. As you
would expect, these two layers have a position orthogonal to each other.
Each layer consists of two trapeziaand two small triangles.The trapeziaare
hinged by ordinary hinges, but the triangles have only one vertex in
366 THE MATHEMATICAL GAZE'l'E
common with the trapezia of the same layer. To hinge these triangles at a
vertex we need what we call 90?-webs. Correspondinghinges have the same
labels. By symmetry we see that these hinges have to lie on the edges of a
square.Each layer is composed of two truncatedtriangles (trapezia)and two
small triangles,hinged with 90?-webs.
D C DC
/ / \
R R2 R2 \ / R2
G R1 H G Ri H
FIGURE4 Edge-jumping tetrahedron
/ x
/ 45/
(a) (b)
FIGURE5 The height a of the trapezia
The question that needs to be answered, of course, is 'precisely what

should be the height of these trapezia?'.To calculate their height a suppose
thatthe edge-length of the tetrahedronis 1. From Figure 5(a) we see
a + x = lX3
1
a-x =-
2
hence a = (X/3 + 1)/4. The reader may prove that this height a can be
found by using the geometry of Figure 5(b). The pattern of Figure 6 may
provide importantclues aboutcalculatingthe value of a by other means.
POP-UP POLYHEDRA 367
FIGURE 6 A broader view
Models with pivots

The Icosahedron - a face-jumper
First, we describe how to build a
model of the icosahedron where we
have to press together two opposite
faces to flatten the model. Let these
two opposite faces be the triangle in / /
the middle and the big framing
triangle of the Schlegel diagram* of
Figure 7. We divide the set of the 20
triangles of the surface of the
icosahedron into two subsets of ten
triangles. Each of these two subsets
leads to a layer of Figure 8(a).
FIGURE7 Schlegel diagram
of the icosahedron
* A Schlegel diagramof a polyhedronshows what you would 'see' (thatis, the connectivity of
edges and vertices and the arrangementof faces) if you looked through one face of the
model at very close range.
368 THE MATHEMATICALGAZEIE
L.
(a) (b)
FIGURE 8 Layersof the icosahedron
Since two opposite faces of the icosahedronare rotatedrelative to each
otherby 60?, the two layers are rotatedas well. Thus, superimposingthe two
layers gives a repeatedstar-of-David-likesituationshown in Figure 8(b). In
the popped-up situation, the edges AB and A'B' should coincide. This
condition can be achieved by hinging B' B
additional hidden triangles to these edges, / _
and connecting these two trianglesby brads
(brass fasteners) at their centres (see Figure p
9, where a brad goes through two layers at
point P). This pop-up model will have six of A
these hidden pivots. The brads at the three A'
pairs of opposite pivots can be used for the
attachmentof threerubberbands.
FIGURE9 Pivot P
The cube - a vertex-jumper
Now we describe how to build a model of the cube where we have to
press togethertwo opposite vertices to flatten the model. This model may be
the hardestone to make. We begin /
by thinking of cutting the cube by
the plane perpendicular to the A
diagonal RS (as shown in Figure
10); the intersection of this plane R
with the cube is a regularhexagon. B
One half of the surface of the cube
leads to the layout of one layer of
our desiredmodel (Figure 1I(a)).
FIGURE 10 Two opposite

vertices R and S
POP-UPPOLYHEDRA 369
(a) (b)
FIGURE11 One layer of our cube with webs and pivots
In the centre R of the layer we need three 30?-webs. The layout of the
three right-angledisosceles triangles is such that the 6 borderlinehinges lie
symmetricallyon the edges of a regularhexagon in the flattened situation.In
the popped-upsituation,the edges AB andA'B' should coincide. This can be
R
^
tJ* ^^ FIGURE12
At^<'\\ The position of the
B \ pivot P
achieved by hinging two small squaresto each triangle and pivoting them to
the big pentagons.The location of those squaresand of the pivot is shown in
Figure 12. The pivot P is situated on the diagonal BC such that the triangle
AA'P is equilateral. The triangle BB'P is also equilateral.
The second layer has the same shape, but is rotated by 60?. Every
triangleof the top layer is hinged with a pentagon of the bottom layer. Thus
we get a model with 12 visible pivots.
Spiral models
In the models we have seen so far the top layer does not turnrelative to
the bottom layer duringthe pressing (or collapsing) procedure.We will now
show how to build models where each of the two layers rotate as they
370 THE MATHEMATICAL GAZE' "'E
collapse and expand. These models are not activated by rubber bands,
instead they are brought into place by pulled strings.
The spiral icosahedron

In Figure 13 we see an icosahedron as viewed from above (with some of
its faces transparent). The top triangle is paler grey, the bottom triangle
black. The six dark grey triangles form a spiral sequence of equilateral
triangles running between the top face and the bottom face. Since we have,
not counting the top and bottom triangles, 18 triangles remaining, we can, in
theory, form three spiral sequences of triangles in this way. We are fortunate
that the geometry allows these spirals to fit together to form the icosahedron.
This gives us a model with two layers (Figure 14); the two layers are hinged
as indicated by labels.
FIGURE13 A spiral sequence of faces
P P
7VRs
Q R Q R
FIGURE 14 The two layers
POP-UPPOLYHEDRA 371
When we first constructed this model, we hoped that, by lifting the

central triangle of the top layer, gravity would force the model into the
shape of the icosahedron. Surprisingly, we got a right triangular prism with
spiral holes on the surface (Figure 15). We had to install a sophisticated
system of strings which pull the vertices of the model into the desired
position of the icosahedron (Figure 16).
.......'
....
FIGURE 15 Right triangular prism
F3
R1
Fl
FIGURE 16 The three strings of the top layer
In each layer, three strings are attached in the points F1, F2, F3, go
through a ring RA,R2, R3 respectively, and exit the model through a central
hole H, reinforced by a washer, in the middle of the top face. Here, the three
strings of the top layer may be knotted together. A corresponding system of
three strings has to be installed in the bottom layer. Starting with the
flattened model and pulling at the two opposite knots, the two opposite
central faces will turn by 60? and the icosahedron emerges as if by magic.
The spiral dodecahedron

Building the spiral dodecahedron involved us with 'two-way hinges'
(which are explained later). These two-way hinges are indicated by a
372 THE MATHEMATICALGAZE"I E
I
I D
II.
I
IC.
B B
(a) (b)
F3
F,
ji
Fl
_,
(c) (d)
\\\xx\\w\\\\,x.\\ Two-way hinge
FIGURE 17 The four layers of the spiral dodecahedron
straight line alongside a wavy line in Figure 17. The two-way hinges join
the ten bisected lateral pentagonal faces of the dodecahedron.
The flattened model consists of four layers: the top layer (Figure 17(a))
connected by an ordinary hinge to the second layer (Figure 17(b)),
connected by a two-way hinge to the third layer (Figure 17(c)), connected
by an ordinary hinge to the bottom layer (Figure 17(d)). The five pulling
strings of the one side are attached at the points F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 on the
bottom layer and exit the dodecahedron through the hole H in the centre of
the top pentagon and are knotted together. Pulling the two opposite knots
forces the two opposite pentagonal faces of the dodecahedron to rotate by
36? and finally the dodecahedron materialises.
POP-UP POLYHEDRA 373
The spiral octahedron

Using a method similar to that used in the construction of the spiral
icosahedron and dodecahedron, we can build a spiral octahedron (Figure
18). The notation here is the same as for the spiral dodecahedron. Here when
we pull the two opposite knots, the opposite triangular faces of the
octahedron rotate by 60?.
0
H
. ......O
......
InFigure 19 wetetrahedron......
see the four layers of this spiral The two
(a) (b)
F2
1 ,11
notsuccessful inso.
our attempts to do
\l F3i \ ~r
In the flattened
.19(c)). situation, the two opposite edges are parallel. If we
(c) i~ Ii, F31'F
ii ~i~
The spiral tetrahedron
We were successful.
opposite edges rotate, relative to each other, by 90?. This is surprisingly

pleasing to the tactile senses.
374 THE MATHEMATICAL GAZE'lE"I
, -.1 k
(a) (b) (c) (d)
FIGURE 19 The spiral tetrahedron
Other models
In all our models, the rotational symmetry with respect to an axis
connecting the midpoints of the two opposite constituent parts* is preserved
during the procedures of flattening and releasing. If we do not insist on such
symmetries, we can build even simpler pop-up models. For example, Figure
20(a) shows one layer of a very simple model of a pop-up tetrahedron. To
flatten this tetrahedron, we simply press together the two adjacent vertices
RI~~~~
~R
(a) (b)
FIGURE20 Pop-up tetrahedron and octahedron
which are the ends of the open edge. In Figure 20(b) we see one layer of the
similarmodel for the octahedron.
The total angular deficiency

The angular deficiency of a vertex of a polyhedron is the difference
between 2I (i.e. 360?) and the sum of the face angles at this vertex. Thus
every vertex of the cube has an angulardeficiency of (2n - 3ff) = , and
every vertex of the tetrahedronhas an angular deficiency of (2jr - 3) = .
The total angular deficiency (A) of a polyhedron is the sum of the angular
deficiencies over all vertices of the polyhedron.The total angulardeficiency
is a topological invariant;for a polyhedronhomeomorphicto the sphere we
*Of course the mid-pointof a vertex is the vertex itself!
POP-UPPOLYHEDRA 375
get A = 4rz. (Check this with some examples!) The total angular
deficiency of a polyhedronwas first studiedby Rene Descartes.
We may use our pop-up models to illustrate and calculate the total
angulardeficiency A in some special cases. As an example we take the pop-
up octahedronof Figure 20(b). The angulardeficiency 6 of the top vertex is
clearly visible (Figure 21 (a)). An external angle at a vertex of the 'equator'
is half the angulardeficiency of this vertex.
~
3I ~
.....
(a) (b)
FIGURE21 The angular deficiency 6
The angular deficiency 6 of the top vertex is the algebraic sum of the
three shaded external angles shown in Figure 21(b). Notice that the external
angle in the middle is negative.
Considering also the bottom
vertex of the octahedron, we
may see that the total angular
deficiency A of the octahedron
is twice the sum of the external
angles of the perimeter of the
flattened pop-up octahedron.
Since every external angle of a
closed polygon is the
'deficiency' (the supplement)
of the corresponding internal
angle, the sum of the external
angles can be considered as the
analogue of the total angular
deficiency of a polyhedron. FIGURE 22 The round-trip of Pinocchio
The sum of the external angles
376 THEMATHEMATICAL
GAZE'l"'E
of a closed polygon is also a topological invariant.In our case of a simply

closed polygon it is 2I. We demonstratethis in familiarterms by thinkingof
the long nose of Pinocchio. When Pinocchio makes a round trip along the
boundaryof the polygon, his nose rotates through an angle of precisely 2zr
(Figure22).
Thus, our models can be used to display a relationship between two
topological invariants, one concerning the total angular deficiency of a
polygon in the plane, the other concerning the total angulardeficiency of a
polyhedronin space. The invariant 'pops up' changing the dimension from
two to three. Such relationshipsbetween an area and its perimeteroccur also
in the formulaeof Stokes, Green and Gauss-Bonnet.
FIGURE 23 Torus
Since the total angular deficiency is a topological invariant, it should be

interesting to look at a polyhedron of another genus, for instance, at a torus
(Figure 23). Figure 24 shows one layer of a pop-up model of a torus. If you
want to build this model, use thin cardboard for the inner part, not
foamboard. Otherwise you will share with the authors some interesting
insights in the topic of non-convexity.
FIGURE24 One layer of the pop-up torus
POP-UPPOLYHEDRA 377
Now, to examine the total angular deficiency of this torus, we

manipulatethe perimeterof the flattened model. First we cut the figure into
two parts(Figure 25(a)).
(a) (b) (c)

25 The total angulardeficiency of the torus
FIGURE
Next we move the inner part to anotherposition (Figure 25(b)). Finally,
we connect the two parts by straightlines. A straightline does not change
anything concerning external angles. Now we have a polygon in the shape
of a figure of eight (Figure 25(c)) and such a polygon has zero for the sum
of its external angles. This is true because for every positive external angle
there is an equivalent negative one (or, think of Pinocchio's nose as he
skates this figure of eight!). Hence the total angular deficiency iA of our
torus is clearly seen to be zero.
Technical definitions and practical hints

We built our models from foamboard (foam, 5mm thick, with a paper
covering on both sides), and sometimes from cardboard.For cutting the
foamboardwe got best results using a surgeon's scalpel or a sharp pocket
knife.
Figure 26 shows how we made an ordinary one-way hinge. We first
taped the two parts on the inner side with pieces of fibreglass-reinforced
tape, then closed the hinge and taped the back of the two parts.These hinges
allow motions between 0? and 180? (Figure 27); it is not possible to open
more than 180?.
(a) (b) (c)

FIGURE26 An ordinary hinge
378 THE MATHEMATICALGAZE'lTE
E_ ..WIIW
(a) (b) (c)

FIGURE27 Range of an ordinary hinge
Some models require hinges with a greater range of motion. These

sophisticated two-way hinges require tapes with alternating sticky sides,
made from two pieces of one-side-sticky tape, as shown in Figure 28. The
two-way hinge is then built by the alternate attachment of such tapes (Figure
29). A two-way hinge allows motions between 0? and 360?.
Top side sticky
Bottom side sticky

FIGURE28 Tape for a two-way hinge
To affix a rubber band to a hinge, we first reinforce the outside of the

hinge by one or two additional reinforced pieces of tape (Figure 30(a)).
Then we punch a little hole, pull the rubber band through it (Figure 30(b))
and lock the rubber band with a small wire bolt (wire from paper clips will
FIGURE29 Two-way hinge
work, as shown in Figure 30(c)). Finally, we affix the bolt with another
piece of tape. For the attachment of the other end of the rubber band, where
the rubber band has to be stretched, it is useful to pull the rubber band
through the hole with the help of a piece of thread, or a crochet hook.
POP-UPPOLYHEDRA 379
(a) (b) (c)

FIGURE30 Attachment of a rubber band
Pivots are made by one (Figure 31(a)) (or two (Figure 31(b))) additional
hidden faces made from cardboard(foamboard will be too thick for this
purpose).The pivot itself is an ordinarybrad.
(a) (b)
FIGURE31 Pivots
In some models the pressing procedure separates two or more pieces
such thatthey have no edge, i.e. no hinge, in common, but only a vertex. To
construct such 'zero-dimensional hinges' we use webs. We got the
inspiration for these zero-dimensional hinges from observing the webs
between the claws of a
water bird (Figure 32). Our' ' X
webs are made from . A. _
cardboard and move
inwards when the model
pops up. Figure 33 shows
the situation where webs
are attachedto three squares
(this situation may occur at . .... :
a vertex of a cube). We
have three 30?-webs, each
consisting of two triangles
with an angle of 15? and a
hinge in between. Y ,-_TT1DAX
rI'IUU. /
xh
V kIu
380 THE MATHEMATICAL GAZETTE
FIGURE33 Web connection
References
1. Peter Hilton and Jean Pedersen, Build your own polyhedra, Addison
Wesley, Menlo Park, California, (1994).
2. Scott Johnson and Hans Walser, The pop-up octahedron, Mathematics in
School 26 (November 1997).
SCOTT JOHNSON
Student at Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California 95053, USA
HANS WALSER
Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California 95053, USA
and
Mathematik-Departement, ETH Ziirich, CH 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Seeing is believing!
...the famous six-sided logo...

From the Times, 26 April 1997. Peter Mabey, who sent this in, wonders if this
caption was written by the same person who designed the Times advert which
featuredin the March 1997 Gazette (p.74). Also spottedby FrankTapson.

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Pop-up Polyhedra

Author(s): Scott Johnson and Hans Walser

A pop-up model of the edge-jumping cube

4:,;tCi -40ns \ :_47 z

I . g . .. Hinge betweenpieces of the same layer

R R Hinge connectingwith the otherlayer

R Point of attachmentof rubberband

FIGURE2 One layer

Figure 2 shows one of the two congruentlayers of the flattenedpop-up

(a) (b) (c)

The analogous edge-jumping model of the tetrahedron is more

FIGURE4 Edge-jumping tetrahedron

FIGURE5 The height a of the trapezia

The question that needs to be answered, of course, is 'precisely what

FIGURE 6 A broader view

Models with pivots

FIGURE 10 Two opposite

The spiral icosahedron

FIGURE13 A spiral sequence of faces

FIGURE 14 The two layers

When we first constructed this model, we hoped that, by lifting the

FIGURE 15 Right triangular prism

FIGURE 16 The three strings of the top layer

The spiral dodecahedron

\\\xx\\w\\\\,x.\\ Two-way hinge

FIGURE 17 The four layers of the spiral dodecahedron

The spiral octahedron

The spiral tetrahedron

opposite edges rotate, relative to each other, by 90?. This is surprisingly

(a) (b) (c) (d)

FIGURE 19 The spiral tetrahedron

The total angular deficiency

*Of course the mid-pointof a vertex is the vertex itself!

of a closed polygon is also a topological invariant.In our case of a simply

Since the total angular deficiency is a topological invariant, it should be

FIGURE24 One layer of the pop-up torus

Now, to examine the total angular deficiency of this torus, we

(a) (b) (c)

Technical definitions and practical hints

(a) (b) (c)

(a) (b) (c)

Some models require hinges with a greater range of motion. These

Bottom side sticky

To affix a rubber band to a hinge, we first reinforce the outside of the

FIGURE29 Two-way hinge

(a) (b) (c)

FIGURE33 Web connection

...the famous six-sided logo...

You might also like