For a finite triangulation of a surface of the sphere, Euler formula for a sphere is
where , and count vertices, edges and triangular faces. Since each face has three edges and each edge borders two faces, also .
Let and count the pentagonal and hexagonal faces. Counting incidences of edges with vertices and faces gives
The Euler formula for a sphere also applies to this polygonal decomposition: triangulating a polygon by adding one diagonal increases both and by one, preserving . Substitution gives
Thus there are exactly 12 pentagons, independently of the number of hexagons.