Origin of Net View

Date: 05/14/2002 at 11:38:18
From: Elizabeth Haverstick
Subject: Net View of Pyramids

Hi Dr. Math - I am student teaching in a 7th grade classroom and we 
are studying the volume of pyramids and my students were interested 
as to why the "exploded" look at the pyramid was called the net view 
-  I was also curious as to where the name came from  - whether it 
had any history or origin.  Thanks!

Date: 05/14/2002 at 12:13:28
From: Doctor Sarah
Subject: Re: Net View of Pyramids

Hi Elizabeth - thanks for writing to Dr. Math.

In his book _The Words of Mathematics, An Etymological Dictionary of 
Mathematical Terms Used in English_ (Mathematical Association of 
America), Steven Schwartzman says:

  net (noun): a native English word, from the Indo-European 
  root ned- "to bind, to tie."  In mathematics a net is a 
  two-dimensional fold-up model of a polyhedron. The faces 
  of the polyhedron appear as connected (= bound) polygons 
  in the net. Each face meets another along a common edge.

- Doctor Sarah, The Math Forum
  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/