Final answer:
A triangular prism has two congruent triangular bases and three rectangular faces. By counting the vertices on the triangular bases and multiplying by two, we determine that a triangular prism has a total of 6 vertices. So the correct answer is B. 6.
Step-by-step explanation:
How Many Vertices Does a Triangular Prism Have?
The question pertains to the number of vertices in a three-dimensional geometric shape known as a triangular prism. A triangular prism is a polyhedron that has two triangular bases and three rectangular faces. To determine the number of vertices, one can count the corners of both the triangular bases and add them since the prism extends these bases into the third dimension.
Each triangular base has 3 vertices, and since there are two identical triangular bases in a triangular prism, the total number of vertices is 6 (that is, 3 vertices per triangle multiplied by 2). Therefore, the correct answer is B. 6.
It's helpful to visualize the shape: imagine placing two congruent triangles parallel to each other in space and then connecting their corresponding vertices with straight lines (the rectangular faces). You end up with a three-dimensional figure with six unique points where the edges meet, which defines the vertices of the prism.
In summary, counting the vertices on one triangular base and multiplying that count by two, since there is another congruent base, confirms that a triangular prism has six vertices.