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polygon

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polygon

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The types of angles in a regular polygon are shown here. These are the angles in a regular hexagon.

In geometry, a plane (two-dimensional) figure with three or more straight-line sides. Regular polygons have sides of the same length, and all the exterior angles are equal. Common polygons have names that define the number of sides (for example, triangle (3), quadrilateral (4), pentagon (5), hexagon (6), heptagon (7), octagon (8), and so on). These are all convex polygons, having no interior angle greater than 180°.

Sum of internal angles

The sum of the internal angles of a polygon having n sides is given by the formula 180° × (n − 2). For example:

In this case (a hexagon), there are 6 sides. The sum of the interior angles equals:

180° × (n − 2) = 180° × (6 − 2) = 180° × 4 = 720°

Therefore, the more sides a polygon has, the larger the sum of its internal angles and, in the case of a convex polygon, the more closely it approximates to a circle.

See also lines of symmetry.



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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Instead of making use of the square or rectangle, as has been done to this time, you will suppose your place inclosed in a regular hexagon, this polygon having the advantage of offering more angles than the quadrilateral one.
The captain had it conveyed to the Polygon at Washington, challenging the president of the Gun Club to break it.
Then suddenly through a polygon of green, in the half darkness under the luxuriant growth, I saw the creature we were hunting.
 
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