JasmineGillie

POW:CuttingThePie

InthisProblemofTheWeek,weweregivenaproblemaboutacharacternamedDave
whoiscuttingpies.Dave,beinginanantiestablishment,anticonformistmood,decidestoslice
thepielikePicasso.However,Davegiveshimselfasetofrules,onebeingthatthecuthastogo
acrosstheentirepiethesecondbeingthatthelinehastobecompletelystraightandthethird
andfinalrule,thatthecutsdonothavetogothroughthecenterofthepie.Ourobjectivewasto
findthemaximumamountofpieceswithspecificamountsofcutsbylookingforpatternsand
applyingthatknowledgetotheproblem.
Topullallofthisinformationtogether,Imadeatable,wrotedowneachrule,andtriedto
visualizeeachoftheslicedpies.

Numberof
Cuts

Maximum
NumberofPieces

10

Rules:

Visuals:

1. Cuthastogo
acrosstheentire
pie

1.

1cut
0intersections
2slices

2.

2cuts
1intersection
4slices

3.

3cuts
3intersections
7slices

2. Cuthastobe
completely
straight

3. Cutdoesnothave
togothroughthe
centerofthepie

Lookingatallofthiscompiledinformationtogether,Icouldbegintoextendthetableby
makingmyownvisuals.Thiswasmeanttohelpmefindthemaximumnumberofpiecesforany
numberofcutsuptoten.HereshowfarIgotintomytablebeforefindingapatterninwhatIwas
doing:

Visuals:
4.

4cuts
6intersections
11slices

5.

5cuts
10intersections
16slices

6.

6cuts
11intersections
19slices

7.

7cuts
17intersections
25slices

Number
ofCuts

Maximum
NumberofPieces

11

16

22

29

10

Atthispoint,Inoticed
repetitioninthenumber
ofcutsandthemaximum
numberofpieces,
meaningthatIcameup
withapossibilityforan
equation.

Number
ofCuts

Maximum
NumberofPieces

1+1=2

2+2=4

4+3=7

7+4=11

11

11+5=16

16

16+6=22

22

22+7=29

29

10

Ifoundthat,eachmaximumnumberof
pieceswasthenumberofcutsplusthe
previousmaximumnumberofpiecesin
thetable.Tomakeitalittleless
confusing,Irealizedthat,tomakean
equationthatworkedforANYamountof
cuts,Idneedtouseafactorial.

HerestheequationIcameupwith:

( )
+1

M=

x=1

M=Maximumnumberofpieces
n=NumberofCuts

Now,thechallengewasactuallyapplyingtheequationtowhatIwasdoing,butbeforeI
coulddothat,Ihadtochecktoseeifmyequationworkedatall.

SolveforM:

(1+2+3+4+5+6+7)+1=M

M=
+1 24+1=M

x=1
25=M

Visual:

7.

( )

7cuts
17intersections
25slices

Justashoped,theequationworked!SoIcouldnowuseittofindtherestoftheanswers
inmytable,aswellaslookingalittledeepertofindmorepatterns.

Number MaximumNumberof
ofCuts
Pieces
0

11

16

22

29

37

46

10

56

( )
+1
x=1

Now,knowingthisinformationandhavingfoundan
equationthatcouldturnanynumberofcutsintothe
maximumamountofslices,Icouldstarttolookinto
extensionsoftheproblem,andIcouldstarttoplay
aroundwithitalittlemore.

Thistime,Ichangedtheproblem.Insteadoflookingfor
themaximumamountofpiecesinthestrangelysliced
pieIlookedtofindthemaximumamountof
intersections.

Luckyforme,IalreadyhadvisualsthatIcouldlookat
fromwhenIwascountingtheamountofpieces.The
onlydifferencewasthat,insteadoflookingforpieces,I
wasnowlookingforintersections.

Numberof
Cuts

Numberof
Intersections

0+0=0

0+1=1

1+2=3

3+3=6

6+4=10

10

10+5=15

11

11+6=17

Similartothepreviousproblem,each
maximumnumberofintersectionswasthe
numberofcutsminusoneplusthe
previousmaximumnumberof
intersections.Inshort,Idneedtousea
factorial,again.Thistimearound
however,therewouldbeanextrastepto
solvingforthenumberofintersections.

17

17+7=24

10

HeresthesecondequationIcameupwith:

n1

( )
+1

I=

x=1

I=NumberofIntersections
n=NumberofCuts

Yetagain,IhadtoapplytheequationtowhatIwasdoing,butbeforeIcoulddothat,I
hadtochecktoseeifmyequationworked.

SolveforI:

71

( )
+1

I=

x=1

(11)+(21)+(31)+(41)+
(51)+(61)+(71)+1=I

(0+1+2+4+5+6)+1=I

16+1=I

17=I

Visual:

7.

7cuts
17intersections
25slices

Andvictorywasmine!Imanagedtofindanotherworkingequationusingafactorial,sonowI
couldextendmytabletoshownotonlyunlimitedoutcomesforslices,butforintersectionsas
well!

Heresmyfinaltable:

NumberofCuts

MaximumNumberofPieces

NumberofIntersections

11

16

10

22

11

29

17

37

25

46

34

10

56

44

( )
+1
x=1

n1

( )
+1
x=1

IthinkthattwoHabitsofaMathematicianthatIusedwere:DescribeandArticulateand
Generalize.ForDescribeandArticulate,throughouttheentireproblemIwasvisualizingand
sketchingoutphysicaldiagramstohelpmeininconfirmingandbetterunderstandingmy
answersinthisproblem.EspeciallywhenIwasfirstbeginningtounderstandtheproblem,I
foundmyselfexperimentingwithitandpushingmyselftoconnectnumberswithvisuals.Asfor
Generalization,IwasconstantlylookingforpatternssoIcouldsolvethebigpicture,ratherthan
justansweringthequestionslisted.Ipushedmyselffurtherandfurthertounderstandthis
problemandIchallengedmyselfbycomingupwithtwoequationsbecauseIknewthatIwanted
topracticeusingfactorialsmore.
IfIcouldgivemyselfagradeoutoftenonthisProblemofTheWeek,IthinkIwould
givemyselfaten.Iuseplentyofvisuals,Igodeepintodetailwhileexplainingmyprocess,andI
feelthatthestepsIusedtocompletethisPOWareveryclearthroughmywriting.Overall,Ifeel
thatmyworkisneat,easytounderstand,anddetailed.