NAME:

DATE STARTED:
DUE DATE: 1/17/15
POW 1: SLICES OF PIE (25 pts Graded)
You are given a circular pie and can only cut the pie with straight segments (chords) that cross the entire pie.
The cuts do not have to go through the center of the pie, but they do have to be straight and go all the way
through the pie. The resulting pieces do not have to be the same size or shape. Your goal is to answer the
following question: What is the largest number of pieces that can be produced from a given number of
cuts?
Here are some examples to get started:
The diagrams to the right show the results of a pie-cutting
experiment. In the first picture, one cut across the pie has
created two pieces. In the next, two cuts have created a total of
four pieces.

The two diagrams to the left show different possible results

from making three cuts in the pie. In the first case, the
three cuts produced six pieces. In the second case, the
three cuts produced seven pieces. Its also possible to
produce four and five pieces (can you show this?) from
three cuts. You should be able to convince yourself that
seven pieces is the largest number of pieces that can be
created by three cuts across the pie.
Organizing your ideas: The information given so far has been organized into an input-output table (or an x-y
table), where x, your input, is the number of cuts and y, the largest number of pieces, is the output.

Your task is to extend and analyze this table.

1. Find the largest number of pieces you can get from four cuts and from five cuts. Do more if you need
to.
2. a. Try to find a pattern describing what is happening in the table.
b. Use your pattern to find the largest possible number of pieces from ten cuts.
c. Try to explain why this pattern is occuring.
3. Try to find a rule for the x-y table. Using variables (i.e. x and y or c (number of cuts) and p (number of
pieces), how could you write the output (number of pieces) as a formula in terms of the input variable
(number of cuts)?

NAME:
DATE STARTED:
DUE DATE: 1/17/15
COVER SHEET AND Rubric for POW 1: Slices of Pie
Self-grade

Score

Restate the Probelm (5 points)

a.
b.
c.

Describe the problem using your own words.

Provide enough detail so that someone unfamiliar with the problem could understand what you
are being asked to do.
Use diagrams or photos or other visuals when appropriate to describe the problem.

/5

Process (12 points)

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Describe your thought process in trying to understand the original problem and how you first
approached the problem (what was the first thing you did).
Describe your key insights that were important in understanding the how to solve the problem.
Include any diagrams, tables or sketches that helped you.
Include your work or iterations (attempts) at solving the problem.
Consider the following questions/prompts in your write-up:
1) How did you organize your information?
2) How did you look for a pattern?
3) What pattern did you notice in the table?
4) Try to explain why the pattern is occurring.
5) What variables did you assign your input and output, if any?

/12

Solution (3 points)
a.

What pattern did you come up with to find the largest number of pieces for a given number of
cuts?
b. What formula did you come up with to find the largest number of pieces for a given number of
cuts?
c. Test your formula and verify it for number of cuts that you know the output and make
predictions for larger numbers of cuts.
Extension (3 points)

/3

Invent some extensions or variations to the problem. That is, write down some related problems. They
can be easier, harder, or about the same level of difficulty as the original problem. (You dont have to
solve these additional problems.) Keep them related to the problem at hand!

/3

Evaluation ( 2 points)
Discuss your personal reaction to the problem. Did you consider it educationally worthwhile? What did
you learn from this POW? How would you change it to make it better? Did you enjoy working on it? Was it
too hard or too easy? What score would you give yourself out of 25 pts?
TOTAL SCORE

/2
25