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Home > INT3 > Chapter 8 > Lesson 8.3.4 > Problem 8-150

8-150.

Lilli is about to have her 3-D printer print a tetrahedron. She can choose to have it constructed with either one of the two orientations below. The first has an equilateral triangle as the base. The second has the tetrahedron balancing on an edge. Both will create congruent tetrahedrons (do you understand why?) but one might be easier for the 3-D printer to print. Which do you think might be easier for the printer? Why? Justify your answer.

First Tetrahedron with bottom triangle face shaded.

Second Tetrahedron with front triangle face shaded.

What do you notice about the cross-sections of each of the orientations?