Fundamental Ideas
Geometric Solids
Prisms are solids (three-dimensional figures) that, unlike planar figures, occupy space. They come in many shapes and sizes. Every prism has the following characteristics:
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Bases: A prism has two bases, which are congruent polygons lying in parallel planes.
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Lateral edges: The lines formed by connecting the corresponding vertices, which form a sequence of parallel segments.
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Lateral faces: The parallelograms formed by the lateral edges.
A prism is named by the polygon that forms its base, as follows:
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Altitude: A segment perpendicular to the planes of the bases with an endpoint in each plane.
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Oblique prism: A prism whose lateral edges are not perpendicular to the base.
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Right prism: A prism whose lateral edges are perpendicular to the bases. In a right prism, a lateral edge is also an altitude.
In Figure
1 , prism (a) is a right triangular prism, prism (b) is a right rectangular prism, and prism (c) is an oblique pentagonal prism. The altitude in prism (c) is called
h.
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