Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2015

Publication Title

Russian Mathematical Surveys

Abstract

Originating in diverse branches of mathematics, from polytope algebra and toric varieties to the theory of stressed graphs, virtual polytopes represent a natural algebraic generalization of convex polytopes. Introduced as elements of the Grothendieck group associated to the semigroup of convex polytopes, they admit a variety of geometrizations. The present survey connects the theory of virtual polytopes with other geometrical subjects, describes a series of geometrizations together with relations between them, and gives a selection of applications.

Keywords

Coloured polygon, Maxwell polytope, McMullen's polytope algebra, Minkowski difference, Polytopal function, Stressed graph, Support functions

Volume

70

Issue

6

First Page

1105

Last Page

1165

DOI

10.1070/RM2015v070n06ABEH004975

ISSN

00360279

Rights

© the authors, 2015

Comments

Peer reviewed accepted manuscript.

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