<p>These dots are known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pips" rel="nofollow noreferrer">pips</a>. Pip placement tends to follow a convention, but this placement may vary by region, as you can see by this comparison between Western and Asian dice (from wikipedia):</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/6xJ40.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>I suspect this arrangement has nothing to do with cognitive science or usability, but is simply a convention. However, you may note that on the Western-style dice, pips are arranged so as to maximize the distance between any two pips while maintaining symmetry-- this should aid in quick recognition regardless of how the dice are rotated when they land.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-27T05:49:18.067Z
2012-11-27T05:49:18.067Z
Jeff
<p>I noticed dice and dominos both use the same convention for dot placement. Is there a reason for this? Is there any research on how to layout dots so that they are most readable?</p>

<reading>
Are dice and domino dot arrangement conventions related to readability?
Tyler Langan
# Are dice and domino dot arrangement conventions related to readability?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-11-26)

I noticed dice and dominos both use the same convention for dot placement. Is there a reason for this? Is there any research on how to layout dots so that they are most readable?

**Tags:** reading


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-11-27. Score: 3

These dots are known as [pips](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pips). Pip placement tends to follow a convention, but this placement may vary by region, as you can see by this comparison between Western and Asian dice (from wikipedia):

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/6xJ40.png)

I suspect this arrangement has nothing to do with cognitive science or usability, but is simply a convention. However, you may note that on the Western-style dice, pips are arranged so as to maximize the distance between any two pips while maintaining symmetry-- this should aid in quick recognition regardless of how the dice are rotated when they land.


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