Regular and semi-regular polytopes. III (Q1096182)

Continuing the investigations in part II of this paper [ibid. 188, 559- 591 (1985; Zbl 0553.52007); for part I see ibid. 46, 380-407 (1940; Zbl 0022.38305)], the author describes (for Euclidean n-space with \(n>4)\) the Weyl groups \(A_ n\), \(B_ n\), \(D_ n\), \(E_ 6\), \(E_ 7\), \(E_ 8\), the corresponding infinite reflection groups Ã\({}_ n\), \~B\({}_ n\), \~C\({}_ n\), \~D\({}_ n\), Ẽ\({}_ 6\), Ẽ\({}_ 7\), Ẽ\({}_ 8=E_ 9\), and the related polytopes and lattices \(\alpha _ n\), \(\beta _ n\), \(h\gamma _ n\), \(2_{21}\), \(3_{21}\), \(4_{21}\); \(\alpha _ nh\), \(\delta _{n+1}\), \(h\delta _{n+1}\), \(2_{22}\), \(3_{31}\), \(5_{21}\). Schläfli functions are used in obtaining a new formula for the order \(\Gamma\) of \(E_ n\) \((n<9)\), including \(E_ 5=D_ 5\), \(E_ 4=A_ 4\), \(E_ 3=A_ 2\times A_ 1\). The so-called `Dynkin diagrams' are explained, also the symbol \(p_{qr}\) for the uniform polytope (with triangular 2-faces) whose \((p+1)th\) vertex figure is the Cartesian product \(\alpha _ q\times \alpha _ r\) of two regular simplexes. The 56 vertices of the 7-dimensional polytope \(3_{21}\) are distributed (in 45 ways) among those of 7 cubes, leading to coordinates which relate the 8-dimensional lattice \(5_{21}\) to a domain of integral octaves (or Cayley numbers), and its vertex figure \(4_{21}\) to the 240 units. Peter McMullen's amazing drawing of this polytope is published here for the first time. Finally, there is a simplified equation yielding the `Coxeter number' h and the exponents \(m_ 2\) which are involved in the formulae \(h=\Sigma m\) and \(\Gamma =\Pi (m+1).\)