Lazy Caterer's Sequence

Lazy Caterer's Sequence

The lazy caterer's sequence, more formally known as the central polygonal numbers, describes the maximum number of pieces of a circle (a pancake or pizza is usually used to describe the situation) that can be made with a given number of straight cuts. For example, three cuts across a pancake will produce six pieces if the cuts all meet at a common point, but seven if they do not. This problem can be formalized mathematically as one of counting the cells in an arrangement of lines; for generalizations to higher dimensions, see arrangement of hyperplanes.

The analogue of this sequence in 3 dimensions is the cake number.

Read more about Lazy Caterer's Sequence:  Formula and Sequence, Proof

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