Andreev’s Theorem on hyperbolic polyhedra

In 1970, E.M.Andreev published a classification of all three-dimensional compact hyperbolic polyhedra (other than tetrahedra) having non-obtuse dihedral angles. Given a combinatorial description of a polyhedron, C , Andreev’s Theorem provides five classes of linear inequalities, depending on C , for the dihedral angles, which are necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a hyperbolic polyhedron realizing C with the assigned dihedral angles. Andreev’s Theorem also shows that the resulting polyhedron is unique, up to hyperbolic isometry. Andreev’s Theorem is both an interesting statement about the geometry of hyperbolic 3-dimensional space, as well as a fundamental tool used in the proof for Thurston’s Hyperbolization Theorem for 3-dimensional Haken manifolds. We correct a fundamental error in Andreev’s proof of existence and also provide a readable new proof of the other parts of the proof of Andreev’s Theorem, because Andreev’s paper has the reputation of being “unreadable”.