  Two basic theorems of the theory of flexible polyhedra were proven by
completely different methods: R. Alexander used analysis, namely, the Stokes
theorem, to prove that the total mean curvature remains constant during the
flex, while I.Kh. Sabitov used algebra, namely, the theory of resultants, to
prove that the oriented volume remains constant during the flex. We show that
none of these methods can be used to prove the both theorems. As a by-product,
we prove that the total mean curvature of any polyhedron in the Euclidean
3-space is not an algebraic function of its edge lengths.
