Math Portfolio Type I

Mathematics Portfolio type I

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

Table of Contents:
-Introduction
-1 dimension
-2 dimension
-3 dimension
-4 dimension
-Further studies
-Geometrical explanation
-Conclusion

Introduction

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

Page 1

Math Portfolio Type I

In this portfolio it will be studied the patterns of cutting different object with
different dimensions in the maximum amount of pieces with a n number of
cuts. Before starting the study two important things must be explained. The
first one is that n will always be a positive integer so n0, the reason is that in
this study we will not analyze the possibility of having negative cuts. The
second clarification there is to do express what a cut is, a cut is an object in the
dimension of the object we are cutting -1, which will divide the object into
different parts. For example if we cut a cube(3D) we use planes(2D), not
lines(1D) or points(0D), but when we cut a circle(2D) we will use a line (1D). We
will not use lines or planes which are bent, using them would change all the
results gotten.

1 dimension
To start the investigation we should analyze what is the maximum number of
pieces by cutting a 1 dimensional object. The reason we dont start with 0 is
because an object with this amount of dimension doesnt exist in practical
world as this is a point.
A 1 dimension object is a straight line, therefore we will sketch a line being cut
by 1, 2 and finally 3 point giving the maximum amount of parts, but we will see
the possibility of how the line could not achieve this.
In this picture we see the line being cut 1 time giving 2 parts.

In this picture the line is being cut 2 time giving 3 parts.

How many pieces?
Francesco Chiocchio

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Math Portfolio Type I

I
n this picture the line is being cut 3 times giving 4 parts.

As notice when doing a number of cuts, the number of pieces is equal the
number of cuts + 1, when trying to have the maximum number of
pieces.
These tabulated results will help us to give a general rule which relates number
of cuts (n) and maximum number of segments, which we will call S
N values
S values.
1
2
2
3
3
4

Just by looking at it is clear that the general rule formula is given by:
S = n+1
If the line would have cut without reaching the maximum number of segments
the result would have been different. For example let us assume the second

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

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Math Portfolio Type I

point would been put over the first one would be done like this:

In this picture we used lines rather than dots because it would be complicated
to show two dots cutting in the same place.
Here, although two cuts have been drawn, there are just 2 segments. For this
reason it is important that in this study the maximum amount of segments or
parts is used to create rules.

2 dimensions
Now to continue the study we have to see what happens when a 2 dimension
object, like a circle, is cut different number of times. I will sketch the circle
being cut from 5 chords, giving the maximum number of parts. To create the
maximum parts in a circle every chord must cut the biggest number of existing
parts. Here we will use a circle, but we could have used any other 2
dimensional objects such as a square.
In this picture we see a circle cut in 2 by 1 chord.

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

Page 4

Math Portfolio Type I

In this picture we see a circle cut in 4 by 2 chords.

In this picture we see a circle cut in 7 by 3 chords.

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

Page 5

Math Portfolio Type I

In this picture we see a circle cut in 11 by 4 chords.

Finally, in this picture we see a circle cut in 16 parts by 5 chords.

After having made sure that this drawing show the maximum amount of parts
we can get by cutting them with different number of chords we can tabulate
the results to find using technology a general formula which relates number of
cuts (n) and maximum number of parts (which we will call R)
Number of cuts (n)
Maximum number of parts (R)
1
2
2
4
3
7
4
11
How many pieces?
Francesco Chiocchio

Page 6

Math Portfolio Type I

5
16
This can be done using technology, meaning that we will use a graphical
calculator to find out the formula, this is done by typing the number of cuts and
maximum number of parts in the table labeled L1 and L2 (this table is found by
clicking STATS and after pressing EDIT on TI83 or TI84)

After having imported these numbers in the table we have to decide which
degree function it is to get a general rule. In one dimension the general rule
was a polynomial with a degree 1, therefore we could hypothesize to use for
the general rule in 2 dimensions a polynomial of degree 2, so we press on the
calculator Stats, after we go on CALC and we go on Quadreg were we set to use
the data in table in L1 and L2 , the calculator will give us this answer:

1
1
n + n+1 , where R is the
2
2
maximum number of parts we can get by cutting a circle with n cuts.
This means that the general rule is given by: R=

To find out the recursive rule we dont need to use a calculator or technology,
there is a longer and manual way which will be good to use because as it will
show us other features of the pattern between different dimensions.
This method works by writing the values of R we get with n cuts after we
calculate the change between two consecutive values and we repeat this
procedure till the changes are all equal
This table will explain it better, and it will give us the values of the maximum
possible parts we can get with n cuts, R.
n values
(number of
cuts)
R values

11

16

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

Page 7

Math Portfolio Type I

1 (change
1)
2 (change
2)

2 (4-2)

3 (7-4)

1 (3-2)

4 (11-7)
1 (4-3)

5 (16-11)

1 (5-4)

After having finished the table to find the recursive rule we need to do a second
table, but in this one R is replaced by a polynomial of degree 2 , the choice of
the degree is given by the number of changes done in the first table; these two
numbers must be equal.
n values
1
2
3
4
5
an+bn+c
a+b+c
4a+2b+c
9a+3b+c
16a+4b+c 25a+5b+c
1 (change
3a+b
5a+b
7a+b
9a+b
1)
2 (change
2a
2a
2a
2)
Now we arrive to the final step, we need to work out a, b and c, to do so we
associate every place from the first table to their corresponding places in the
second table, so we get every number in terms of a, b and c (for example
2a=1), after we start solving every equation from the last change to have just
one unknown:
2a=1
1
a=
2

At this point we know the value of a, so we can pass to the next step, working
out the value with two unknown, one of them being a:
3a+b=2
1
3x(
)+b=2
2
43
b=
2
1
b=
2
Final step, working out the equation with 3 unknowns, two of them being a and
b, so now knows values
a+b+c=2
1
1
+
+c=2
2
2
c=1
1
1
As a final answer we get
n+
n+1 just like the previous case.
2
2
How many pieces?
Francesco Chiocchio

Page 8

Math Portfolio Type I

Another thing, which I believe is more important than this results, which we
already got with the calculator, is that in this way we clearly see that to find the
next value of R we have to do the addition of the value we receive with 1 cut
less for R and S, to make it more clear:
F(R,n) is a the maximum number of parts we can get in 2 dimension produced
with n cuts then, F(R,n)= F(R,n-1)+F(S,n-1) , to make an example from the
table, let us take n=4 and dimension 2 so the 4th value of R will be given by
the 3rd value of R and the 3rd value of S
F(R,4)= F(R,3)+F(S,3)
=7+4
=11
11 is exactly the answer we were looking for. But does this mean this
conjecture is true for every value of n?

1
1
n+
n+1
2
2
F(S, n-1)=(n-1)+1
1
1
F(R, n-1)=
(n-1)+
(n-1)+1
2
2
F(R, n-1)+ F(S, n-1)=
1
1
(n-1)+
(n-1)+1+(n-1)+1=
2
2
1
1
1
1
n-n +
+
n+1+n-1+1=
2
2
2
2
1
1
n+
n+1
2
2
F (R, n)=

This conjecture has been proven right, meaning it will work for every value of n.
In the conjecture we use F(R,n)= F(R,n-1)+F(S,n-1), but what would the
formula be if we dont want to use n-1?
In this case we would write R(n)=X+S(n), where X is an algebraic expression in
terms of n; to find n this procedure must be used:
1
1
n+
n+1 =X+n+1
2
2
1
1
X=
n+
n+1-n-1=
2
2
1
1
nn+.
2
2
1
1
So R(n)=
nn+S(n)
2
2
3 dimension
How many pieces?
Francesco Chiocchio

Page 9

Math Portfolio Type I

The continue the investigation we will pass to a 3 dimensional object, we will

use a cube; in some of the sketches where I will show how the cube will be cut
to get the maximum number of parts the cuts arent clear; I will try explain how
I drawn it and how I thought about it to facilitate the understanding of the
sketches. After having seen the sketches I will tabulate the result to find a
general formulae which will give us the maximum number of parts, which we
will nominate P, given a number of cuts.

In this picture we see the cube cut by 1 plane into 2 parts.

In this picture we see the cube cut by 2 planes into 4 parts

.
In this picture we see the cube cut by 3 planes into 8 parts.
How many pieces?
Francesco Chiocchio

Page 10

Math Portfolio Type I

In these pictures we see the cube cut by 4 planes into 15 parts.

Seen from top

seen from

bottom

In this picture we see the cube cut by 5 planes into 26 parts.

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

Page 11

Math Portfolio Type I

Seen from top

Seen from bottom

As said before the last two cuts are very confusing but to make it easier to
understand what I did, I will explain the logic behind these cuts.
For the 4th cut we need to think about the circle we cut before using 3 chords
and therefore receiving 7 pieces, though we transform the circle in a square,
as you remember I wrote before that we didnt need to use a circle we could
have used any 2 dimensional plane and the rules and parts would be the same.
To get the maximum number of parts using 4 planes in the cube I imitate the
3rd chord I drawn on the 2D sketch.
In this picture we see the cube seen from the top and from the side, the red,
the blue and green line represent the 1st 3 planes the 4th is drawn in both
drawings exactly like the 3rd chord in the 2 dimensional objects, in this way we
can get 15 pieces from the cube.

Seen from top

Seen from side

The 5th plane does as well follow this idea of imitating the 4th chord in the 2D
drawing.

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

Page 12

Math Portfolio Type I

Now we will see a table showing the number of cuts, planes, and the
corresponding P, number of maximum parts. After this we will create a general
rule using technology and the method table we used before.
Number of cuts (n)
1
2
3
4
5

Maximum number of parts (P)

2
4
8
15
26

Following the procedure explained in the previous chapter we will use the
calculator to find a general formula. These numbers must be imported on the
calculator in the columns, I will use L1 and L2 but you can chose any. We will
chose that the calculator must find the result with a polynomial of degree 3, we
chose this number because of the precedents studies in 1d and 2d the general
formula was polynomial in degree respectively of 1 and 2 so we hypothesis the
degree of the formula is equal to the dimension we are working on.
Here we see two screenshots of the calculator (TI84) showing answer.

We might want to change the decimal into fractions for simplicity:

a=0.16666667=1/6
b=0 c=0.8333333=5/6
1 3
5
According to the calculator the answer is P=
n+
n +1.
6
6
This formula gives us the maximum amount of parts created for a given n, but
it doesnt show us any patterns with the cutting of objects in 1D and 2D.
Therefore I rather use the method I showed you before, creating a table of
values and finding the change between two consecutive numbers.
n values
1
2
3
4
5
P values
2
4
8
15
26
1 (change
2 (4-2)
4 (8-4)
7 15-8)
11 (26-15)
1)
2 (change
2 (4-2)
3 (7-3)
4 (11-7)
2)
3 (change
1 (3-2)
1 (4-3)
3)
How many pieces?
Francesco Chiocchio

Page 13

Math Portfolio Type I

To find out the general rule formula we should do a second table and replacing
P values by the polynomial an3+bn+cn+d, but because we already know the
values of a, b, c and d doing it would not help us.
From this table though there is a clear pattern which will help us with all the
investigation, we see that the change between two consecutive values of
maximum parts which can obtained with n cuts, gives us the value of the
dimension of the object we are cutting minus 1, for example 1 in this table
corresponds to R values and 2 corresponds to S values. We could have
noticed it also on the first table that we did, but it may have been just a
coincidence, while now although not proven it seems like a real pattern.
Another way to find a P value is to apply a conjecture, which is very similar to
the conjecture we found in 2D, F(P,n)=F(P,n-1)+F(R,n-1) where F(P,n) is the
maximum number of parts we can get by cutting a 3d object with n cuts.
This formula is given by the table on top, an example lets use n=2, so for the
next term of n (3) we will be expecting P to be 8 according to the table and the
general rule and the drawings, let us see this conjecture to see if it gives us the
same answer.
F(P,3)=F(P,2)+F(R,2)=
4+4=
8
Therefore the answer is the right one, but this isnt proving the conjecture is
right, it might just be for coincidence that it gives us in this case the same
results as the general rule, let us try to prove it for any positive values of n.
1 3
5
F(P,3)=
n+
n +1.
6
6
1
5
F(P,n-1)=
(n-1)3+
(n-1) +1
6
6
1
1
F(R,n-1)=
(n-1)+
(n-1)+1
2
2
F(P,n-1)+F(R,n-1)=
1
5
1
1
(n-1)3+
(n-1) +1+
(n-1)+
(n-1)+1=
6
6
2
2
1 3
3
3
1
5
5
1
1
1
1
n n+
n
+
n+1+
n-n +
+
n+
6
6
6
6
6
6
2
2
2
2
1=
1 3
5
n+
n+ 1
6
6

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

Page 14

Math Portfolio Type I

This calculations show us that we could use this conjecture is true, we could try
tough to not use any N-1 and just have a formula with F(P,n) and f(R,n), where
P equals R + Y.
1 3
5
P=
n+
n +1.
6
6
1
1
R=
(n)+
(n)+1
2
2
Y=P-R=
1 3
5
1
1
n+
n +1(n)+
(n)+1
6
6
2
2
1 3 1
1
nn+
n.
6
2
3
As said in the previous chapter R=X+S, so
where P=Y+X+S which would give this:
1 3 1
1
P=
nn+
n+
6
2
3
1 3
5
n+
6
6

we could write down the equation

1
2

n-

1
n +n + 1=
2

n +1.

4 dimensions
In this section we will continue the study in a more theoretical way, here we will
analyze a 4 dimensions object. At this time we do not know how to show in a
picture 4 dimensions, but there has been some hypothetical hyperspaces which
are in 4 D such as Einstein spacetime. Using the data we have the precollected, we can work out when 4D object will be separetaed with n cuts, how
many part we can get, the solutions Q.
The first step is finding the values of Q, to do this we will use the table showing
the differences we used in 3 D and we can hypothesize that the values of P are
equal to the change of two consecutive values of Q, the hypothesis is given
that for any other dimension this is true.
n values
P values
1 (change
1)
2 (change
2)
3 (change
3)

1
2

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

2
4
2 (4-2)

3
8
4 (8-4)

2 (4-2)

4
15
7 15-8)

3 (7-3)

1 (3-2)

Page 15

1 (4-3)

5
26
11 (26-15)

4 (11-7)

Math Portfolio Type I

Our new table will start with for n equal to 1 the value of Q will be 2, as for an
object in any dimension, with 1 cut, the object will be divided into 2, this part
will be explained in the last chapter more accurately.
The second value of Q, so for n=2, will be the first value + the first value of P,
therefore for n=2 Q = 2+2=4. We continue till we have the values for the first
5 cuts, which are shown in the following table:
n values
Q values
P values
1 (change
1)
2 (change
2)
3 (change
3)
4 (change
4)

1
2
2

2
4
4

2 (4-2)

3
8
8

4 (8-4)
2 (4-2)

4
16
15

7 15-8)
3 (7-3)

1 (3-2)

5
31
26

11 (26-15)

4 (11-7)

1 (4-3)

With this table we can find a general rule for the 4D objects, using the
calculator, or by hand. I will enter the n values and the Q values on the L1 L2
table in the calculator and after expecting a result of a function of degree 4, the
reason of why we are expecting is that in the previous dimension their
respective general functions degree was corresponding to the number of
dimensions.

We can change the numbers into decimals for simplicity:

0.041667=1/24 -0.083333=-1/12 0.458333=11/24 0.583333=7/12
1
1
11
7
The calculator gives this result:
n4n3+
n +
n +1.
24
12
24
12
The recursive formula to find the values of Q is the same as the one we used
to create the table:
F(Q,n)=F(Q,n-1)+F(P,n-1) where F(Q,n) is the maximum number of parts we
can get by cutting a 4d object with n cuts.
How many pieces?
Francesco Chiocchio

Page 16

Math Portfolio Type I

In the previous chapters, after the conjecture I always added an example

showing that for a given value of n the result was the same using this
conjecture or the drawings. For this dimension it is pointless doing this as the
value we have, are calculated thanks to the formula, but we can still check the
formula mathematically
1
1
11
7
F(Q,n)=
n4 n3 +
n +
n +1.
24
12
24
12
1
5
F(P,n-1)=
(n-1)3+
(n-1)+ 1
6
6
1
1
11
71
F(Q,n-1)=
(n-1)4(n-1)3+
(n-1) +
(n-1) +1.
24
12
24
12
F(Q,n-1)+F(P,n-1)=
1
1
11
7
1
5
(n-1)4(n-1)3+
(n-1) +
(n-1) +1 +
(n-1)3+
(n-1)+
24
12
24
12
6
6
1=
1
4
6
4
1
1
3
3
1
n4 n3 +
n n+
n3 +
nn+
+
24
24
24
24
24
12
12
12
12
11
22
11
7
7
1 3
3
3
1
n n+
+
n+1+
n n+
n
+
24
24
24
12
12
6
6
6
6
5
5
n+1=
6
6
1
1
11
7
n4 n3 +
n +
n +1
24
12
24
12
As we did in the previous chapter we will try to create a formula which gives us
the value of Q, using the equation found the previous chapter and a secondary
equation which we will work on, so in this case we have to find Q=Z+P, we will
work out Z by using simple calculations.

F(Q,n)=

1
n4 24
F(P,n)

1
n424

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

1
11
n3+
12
24
1
n424

1
11
7
n3 +
n +
n +1
12
24
12
1
5
=
(n)3+
(n)+ 1
6
6
Z=Q-P=
7
1
5
n +
n +1 (n)3+
(n)+ 1=
12
6
6
13 3
11
1
n+
nn.
12
24
4

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Math Portfolio Type I

As stated before P=Y+X+S, so we could rewrite Q as:

1
13 3
11
1
1 3 1
1
1
1
Q=
n4 n+
nn+
nn+
n+
n 24
12
24
4
6
2
3
2
2
n+n+1
Where the green is Z; red is Y; blue is X and black is S.
Further studies
We analyzed the pattern of cutting an object of D dimensions, D being a
positive integer, n times, though our study finished with D being equal to 4; my
question is what would the conjecture be or the general rule be when we will
use a D dimension?
I will start by working out a conjecture: I will first show what every conjecture
we used for the previous dimension was, after I will work out a general rule.
Dimension
2

Conjecture (where n is the number of

chords )
F(R,n)= F(R,n-1)+F(S,n-1) where F(R,n) is a the
maximum number of parts we can get in 2
dimension produced with n cuts then
F(P,n)=F(P,n-1)+F(R,n-1) where F(P,n) is the
maximum number of parts we can get by
cutting a 3d object with n cuts.
F(Q,n)=F(Q,n-1)+F(P,n-1) where F(Q,n) is the
maximum number of parts we can get by
cutting a 4d object with n cuts

From this table we can immediately notice that to find the maximum number of
parts done with (n) cuts in a given dimension we just need to take the sum of
the maximum number of parts we can obtain in the same dimension with (n-1)
cuts and the maximum number of parts we can obtain in the given dimension
minus one with (n-1) cuts.
This makes us understand that the conjecture for any dimension is simply: F(D,
n)=F(D,n-1)+F(D-1, n-1), where F(Q,n) is the maximum number of parts we
can get by cutting a D d object with n cuts and D stands for the number of
dimension, which has to be a positive integer.
The problem of this formula is that the only ways to know the maximum
number of parts in a dimension you have to know the number of cuts minus 1
in the same dimension and the number of cuts minus 1 in the dimension-1.

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

Page 18

Math Portfolio Type I

Imagine you want to calculate the maximum number of parts you can obtain by
cutting a 100 dimensional object using 100 cuts. This is not impossible, but
very long.
To make it easier therefore I want to create a formula where it is possible to
directly calculate the maximum number of parts just by knowing how many
cuts and in what Dimension
It is clear that the formulas to find the maximum number of parts for
hyperspaces in different dimensions have something in common, for example
their formula all have a degree which is equal to the dimension, and the
1
coefficient of the highest degree is always
; we can notice that they all
D!
end up with a constant of 1. I first researched all their similitude to find a
general formula, but after a while, I changed path.
Rather than looking at the formula for each dimension I started to look at the
maximum number of parts I could obtain from each dimension and there I
found a formula.
To explain it, I will need a lot of graphical support, I will mainly use excel tables.
First I will show every maximum result for the first 8 cuts in 8 dimensions. The
data it taken by adding, just like the recursive rule said: P (D, n)=P(D,n-1)+P(D1, n-1)
Table A

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I will start now by talking about patters which can be easily noticed. The first
one is that when the D n the results are just 2n (green cells). The second
pattern which can be seen is that when D=n-1 the result will give 2n-1 (yellow
cells).
How many pieces?
Francesco Chiocchio

Page 19

Math Portfolio Type I

From here we can deduce that for a cut, the difference from the green part to
the yellow part is 1.
Let us analyze further the changed between dimensions for a given value of
cuts.
Let us watch at the column for the 3rd cut and its differences, we start from the
difference from the green zone to the yellow zone, so it always starts with 1.
Differences: (8-7=)1 ; (7-4=) 3 ; (4-1=)3.
I will now show a table of differences, this will show the difference between the
maximum number of parts as you increase of dimension:
Table B

A value, for example 1 cut in 0 dimension, is given by the difference of the

values of 1 Cut 1 D and 1 Cut 0 D found in table 1.

Looking at the differences from dimension to dimension in the same column we

can find a pattern, this brings us to the similarity between the differences in a
column to the Pascal triangle and the binomial theorem.
Pascal triangle represents a series of number that follow a rule which says that
every value of a line is equal to the sum of the two values above it:
A;B
C;D;E
Where D=A+B
if we start from 1:
1
N=0
N=1
1 ; 1
1 ; 2 ; 1 N=2
1 ; 3 ; 3 ; 1N=3
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Francesco Chiocchio

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We can express any value of the Pascal triangle by using the binomial theorem,
N!
using the formula
where T is the position of the value you want to
T ! ( N T ) !
find (0 to N).
We can now notice that the difference between a value which is a power of two
( in the green zone) and another value is the sum of the values in the Pascal
triangles line N=n.

Imagine now that we are looking for the maximum number of parts we can get
from cutting a 4 dimensional object 6 times, from the table we can see that the
result is 57, but how could we do it without the table?
We said that when D n the result is 2n, so it is part of the green zone., so to
calculate a value which is not a power of 2, we can simply subtract the sum of
all the differences using Pascal triangle, to be more clear, for this example we
have n being six, so we can look the values of the line N=6 of the Pascal
triangle: 1 ; 6 ; 15; 20 ; 15 ; 6 ; 1.
Now as we now that our D=n-2 , we know that the cell we are looking for its
founded two above the green zone.
To find the total difference therefore we will use the first 2 numbers of the
serie: 1 and 6, and subtract the addition to the number in the green zone,
which correspond to 26.
26-(1+6)=64-7=57
This is what we would get by looking at the table.
To create a real general formula we should write something where from a
power of 2 is subtracted the sum from 1 to a value of a line of the Pascal
triangle. Any value of the Pascal triangle can be expressed by the binomial
theorem. We seen that for cutting the 4 D object with 6 chords we needed the
sum of the first two values of the Pascal triangle of the line N=6, 1 and 6 which

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

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Math Portfolio Type I

written in binomial way are

6!
0! (6 !)

and

6!
1 !(5 !)

. So the formula would look

something like this: 2 -

6!
i ! ( 6i
)!
i=0

nD1

But now let us generalize it for any dimension or cuts: 2n-

i=0

n!
i ! ( ni ) !

Geometrical explanation
During all the study we looked at the maximum number of parts of a
hyperspace in different dimensions we could get by cutting it, we seen some
patterns but never explained it, so in this chapter I will focus on the
geometrical explanation of the results and the patters.
First we must know that points in an hyperspace are determined as n = { xi , x2
, x3 ,} , for istance in 2 dimension every point can be determined using two
numbers ( x ; y ), in 3D a plane is identified as ( x ; y ; z ) or in 4 D, for instance
Einstein space time, the points are obtained ( x ; y ; z ;t).
When we cut the hyperspace for n D, everything we do, is we first cut the
x values in two, after the y and so on, depending how many dimensions we
are working on.
For example let us take a square in 2 dimension, it is defined as ( X , Y ) when
we do the first cut we create two parts which are defined as ( X1 , Y ) and ( X2 ,
Y) when we cut the square with a second chord we will have 4 parts which can
be defined like so : ( X1 , Y1 ),( X1 , Y2 ),( X2 , Y1),( X2 , Y2)
Now we do not have any other dimensions to split into two so our 3rd chord will,
when trying to obtain the maximum number of parts, divide by two as many
parts as it possibly can, which we know is 3. This will give us a 7 parts which
can be defined like this :
( X1 , Y1 ), ( X1 , Y1 ), ( X1 , Y2 ), ( X1 , Y2 ), ( X2 , Y1),( X2 , Y1) , ( X2 , Y2)
The next chord will cut 4 of these parts by two so we would have somethig like
this :
( X1 , Y1 ), ( X1 , Y1 ), ( X1 , Y1 ), ( X1 , Y2 ), ( X1 , Y2 ), ( X1 , Y2 ) ,( X2 , Y1), ( X2 ,
Y1) ,( X2 , Y1), ( X2 , Y1) , ( X2 , Y2).
This procedure can be applied to any value of n.
We can apply the same rule for a 3 dimensional object such as a cube, which is
defined as ( x , y , z) to cut all the dimension by 2 we need 3 cuts, and we
obtain 23 parts:
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Francesco Chiocchio

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Math Portfolio Type I

( x1 , y1 , z1) ( x1 , y1 , z2) ( x1 , y2 , z1) ( x 1, y2 , z2) ( x2 , y1 , z1) ( x2 , y1 , z2) ( x2 ,

y2 , z1) ( x2 , y2 , z2)
And when we will make the cut the cube with another plane, we will see that
there will be 1 section that will not be touched, afterwards cutting the volume
with a 5th plane will divide 11 sections by two, which is exactly the number we
got with 4 cuts in 2D.
Here we can see again the conjecture we found for any dimension
Conclusion
To conclude, in this portfolio I showed how a hyperspace in 1D 2D and 3D can
be cut into parts, after I used the results and patterns I noticed to work out first
how a 4 dimensional object, if it existed, would be cut. Finally I studied a
general formula to know how many parts you can get by cutting a hyperspace
in any dimension by as many cuts as you want.
For the picture I used software such as : Cabri 3D v2
All data ,formulae and calculation have been found, done by me.

How many pieces?

Francesco Chiocchio

Page 23