Question

Describe what happens as the number of sides of the bases of a prism increases.

THIS IS NOT COLLEGE LEVEL IT IS MIDDLE SCHOOL

Answer 1

When the number of sides of the base of a prism increases, the prism becomes more like a cylinder.

Answer 2

As the number of sides of the bases of a prism increases, the shape of the prism becomes more complex and closer in form to a cylinder. For example, a prism with two identical polygonal bases, such as a rectangular prism or a triangular prism, will have a more blocky or pyramidal shape. However, as the number of sides of the base increases, the shape of the prism becomes more cylindrical and less pyramidal in appearance. This is because the more sides a polygon has, the more closely it approximates a circle, and the cross-section of the prism becomes more circular in shape.