Can Your Randomly Conjure The Solid?

Riddler Express

I have four equilateral triangles. I place one on the floor. I pick a random edge of this first triangle and attach it to a side of a second triangle. Next, I randomly pick one of the four edges of the resulting rhombus and attach the third triangle. Finally, I randomly pick an edge from along the perimeter of the resulting shape and attach the fourth triangle.

What is the probability that I can create a regular tetrahedron by folding the four triangles along their edges?

Extra credit: Instead of using four equilateral triangles to make a tetrahedron, suppose I use six squares to make a cube. What is the probability I can make a cube by randomly attaching the squares, one at a time? (And what are my chances of making any of the three other Platonic solids using their respective faces?)

Solution

Three randomly connected equilateral triangles, attached by their sides will always yield a trapezoid in two dimensions. When folded, two sides will attach to each other, leaving three for the remaining face.

Answer

The answer is $\dfrac{3}{5}$.

Extra Credit

Even for a cube, this problem is extremely complex, and I think the probability decreases drastically. I imagine the probability of creating an icosahedron in the random manner described gets close to 0.

Rohan Lewis

2021.08.06