Hi everybody!

I am trying to solve the question for a long time:

[4.12 Harder] Find out the maximum number of pieces we can get by making a given

number of flat (that is planar) cuts through a solid block. It is not the same

answer as we calculated for straight-line cuts of a flat piece of paper.

I find out that this function has the following results:

f 0 = 1

f 1 = 2

f 2 = 4

f 3 = 8

That is, from 0 to 3, the flat cuts all the pieces in two other pieces, so the number of pieces is doubled.

But, starting from f 4, the flat can not cuts all the pieces, in case of f 4, the flat can cut 6 out of the 8 pieces, resulting

in 12 pieces plus 2 pieces 2 = 14 pieces.

But I can not reach a general case.

Can anybody help me to find out the solution?

Thank you very much!

Manoel Menezes.

__________________________________
Manoel Messias da Silva Menezes Jr
M.Sc.in Computer Science
Federal University of Pernambuco
System Analyst - Petrobras