The number of vertices a pyramid has depends on the shape of its base:
- A square pyramid (with a square base) has 5 vertices : 4 vertices on the base and 1 apex (top vertex)
- A triangular pyramid (tetrahedron) has 4 vertices : 3 vertices on the triangular base and 1 apex
- More generally, a pyramid with an n-sided polygon base has n + 1 vertices : n vertices on the base polygon plus 1 apex vertex
So, the total vertices of a pyramid = number of base vertices + 1 apex vertex. For example:
Base Shape| Number of Base Vertices| Total Vertices (Base + Apex)
---|---|---
Triangle| 3| 4
Square| 4| 5
Pentagon| 5| 6
Hexagon| 6| 7
This formula applies to all pyramids regardless of the base polygon
