Minimum polyhedron with \(n\) vertices (Q2230000)

The author investigates the problem of determining the polyhedra (\(3\)-polytopes) with a given volume and number \(n\) of vertices that minimize the surface area. Fejes Tóth claimed that the minimum \(n\)-hedron must have triangular faces, but his proof had a gap. However, following Fejes Tóth's ideas, the author gives a new proof of this fact, which was first established by \textit{K. Böröczky} and \textit{K. Böröczky jun.} [Mathematika 43, No. 2, 237--254 (1996; Zbl 0878.52006)]. The remainder of the paper is devoted to find minimum \(n\)-hedra for \(n \leq 12\). The technique employed uses random numerical searches with algebraic computation using Gröbner bases. Putative solutions are given, except for \(n = 8\) and \(11\), for which the author claims conjectural shapes may be beyond imagination; truly formidable polynomials of degrees \(12\) and \(13\) to be minimized occur in the analysis. (Of course, the theorem quoted shows that the cube is not a solution for \(n = 8\).)