In mathematics, a polygonal number is a number represented as dots or pebbles arranged in the shape of a regular polygon. The dots are thought of as alphas (units). These are one type of 2-dimensional figurate numbers.
The term figurate number is used by different writers for members of different sets of numbers, generalizing from triangular numbers to different shapes and different dimensions. The term can mean
A hexagonal number is a figurate number. The nth hexagonal number hn is the number of distinct dots in a pattern of dots consisting of the outlines of regular hexagons with sides up to n dots, when the hexagons are overlaid so that they share one vertex.
In mathematics and combinatorics, a centered hexagonal number, or hex number, is a centered figurate number that represents a hexagon with a dot in the center and all other dots surrounding the center dot in a hexagonal lattice. The following figures illustrate this arrangement for the first four centered hexagonal numbers:
A tetrahedral number, or triangular pyramidal number, is a figurate number that represents a pyramid with a triangular base and three sides, called a tetrahedron. The nth tetrahedral number, Ten, is the sum of the first n triangular numbers, that is,
An octagonal number is a figurate number that gives the number of points in a certain octagonal arrangement. The octagonal number for n is given by the formula 3n2 − 2n, with n > 0. The first few octagonal numbers are
In mathematics, a pyramid number, or square pyramidal number, is a natural number that counts the number of stacked spheres in a pyramid with a square base. The study of these numbers goes back to Archimedes and Fibonacci. They are part of a broader topic of figurate numbers representing the numbers of points forming regular patterns within different shapes.
126 is the natural number following 125 and preceding 127.
In number theory, an octahedral number is a figurate number that represents the number of spheres in an octahedron formed from close-packed spheres. The th octahedral number can be obtained by the formula:
A pronic number is a number that is the product of two consecutive integers, that is, a number of the form The study of these numbers dates back to Aristotle. They are also called oblong numbers, heteromecic numbers, or rectangular numbers; however, the term "rectangular number" has also been applied to the composite numbers.
A nonagonal number is a figurate number that extends the concept of triangular and square numbers to the nonagon. However, unlike the triangular and square numbers, the patterns involved in the construction of nonagonal numbers are not rotationally symmetrical. Specifically, the nth nonagonal number counts the number of dots in a pattern of n nested nonagons, all sharing a common corner, where the ith nonagon in the pattern has sides made of i dots spaced one unit apart from each other. The nonagonal number for n is given by the formula:
A centered cube number is a centered figurate number that counts the number of points in a three-dimensional pattern formed by a point surrounded by concentric cubical layers of points, with i2 points on the square faces of the ith layer. Equivalently, it is the number of points in a body-centered cubic pattern within a cube that has n + 1 points along each of its edges.
In number theory, a pentatope number is a number in the fifth cell of any row of Pascal's triangle starting with the 5-term row 1 4 6 4 1, either from left to right or from right to left. It is named because it represents the number of 3-dimensional unit spheres which can be packed into a pentatope of increasing side lengths.
A centered decagonal number is a centered figurate number that represents a decagon with a dot in the center and all other dots surrounding the center dot in successive decagonal layers. The centered decagonal number for n is given by the formula
288 is the natural number following 287 and preceding 289. Because 288 = 2 · 12 · 12, it may also be called "two gross" or "two dozen dozen".
In the mathematics of figurate numbers, the cannonball problem asks which numbers are both square and square pyramidal. The problem can be stated as: given a square arrangement of cannonballs, for what size squares can these cannonballs also be arranged into a square pyramid. Equivalently, which squares can be represented as the sum of consecutive squares, starting from 1.
The centered polyhedral numbers are a class of figurate numbers, each formed by a central dot, surrounded by polyhedral layers with a constant number of edges. The length of the edges increases by one in each additional layer.
A centered octahedral number or Haüy octahedral number is a figurate number that counts the number of points of a three-dimensional integer lattice that lie inside an octahedron centered at the origin. The same numbers are special cases of the Delannoy numbers, which count certain two-dimensional lattice paths. The Haüy octahedral numbers are named after René Just Haüy.
A centered dodecahedral number is a centered figurate number that represents a dodecahedron. The centered dodecahedral number for a specific n is given by
The centered icosahedral numbers and cuboctahedral numbers are two different names for the same sequence of numbers, describing two different representations for these numbers as three-dimensional figurate numbers. As centered icosahedral numbers, they are centered numbers representing points arranged in the shape of a regular icosahedron. As cuboctahedral numbers, they represent points arranged in the shape of a cuboctahedron, and are a magic number for the face-centered cubic lattice. The centered icosahedral number for a specific is given by
