How do you cut a cake into 16 pieces using 5 cuts and no horizontal cuts?

Answer 1

To cut a cake into 16 pieces using 5 cuts and no horizontal cuts, you would first make two vertical cuts to divide the cake into quarters. Then, stack those quarters on top of each other and make a single vertical cut through the center. Finally, separate the stacked halves and make two more vertical cuts to divide each half into four equal pieces, resulting in a total of 16 pieces.

Answer 2

I can think of 3 ways to do it but none of them seem especially practicable.

(1) Cut the whole cake in half laterally through the middle as if you were going to fill it with cream. Then cut it right across through the centre 4 times = 16 pieces.

(2) Cut the cake across the middle; make your second cut at right angles to the first through the centre; Bisect those cuts with 2 further cuts each going through the centre. That makes 4 cuts and you now have 8 pieces. Now make a circular cut about 2/3 of the distance between the centre and the perimeter of the cake. To ensure the pieces are equal you'd need to judge carefully the position of this circular cut.

(3) Cut the cake in half; stack one half on top of the other; cut this semicircle in half and stack again, you now have a quadrant equal to a quarter of the cake stacked 4 high and you've made 2 cuts. Cut 3 - cut the quadrant in half; Cut 4 bisect the left hand half of the quadrant; Cut 5 bisect the right hand half of the quadrant - voila - 16 pieces - but I wouldn't try it with a gooey cream cake.

Is there a particular reason that you can't divide it by making 8 cuts in the usual manner?

Answer 3

use two cuts to cut horizontally and then vertically. (makes four pieces, proximal/distal separation and left right separation). Use the final cut to separate the top and bottom.

The first two cuts are made up to down (from the top of the cake to the bottom), while the last cut is made from left to right.

Answer 4

You only need 4 cuts, and there are an infinite number of ways to do it

without a horizontal cut.

If you want the pieces to be equal, and a horizontal cut isn't allowed,

then you could do it like this:

#1). 30° clockwise from vertical (60° counterclockwise from horizontal)

#2). 45° clockwise from the first cut (15° counterclockwise from horizontal)

#3). 45° clockwise from the second cut (30° clockwise from horizontal)

#4). 45° clockwise from the third cut (75° clockwise from horizontal)

Answer 5

Unless you cut in a squiggly line so that the 2 cuts crossed over twice then it is impossible.

Answer 6

two straight vertical cross slices and one straight horizontal slice

Answer 7

If you have a round cake, you make a horizontal and vertical cut, so you have 4 pieces. Then, you make a second little circle in the middle of the cake, so it makes 8 pieces.

Answer 8

you cut it in the shape of a star :-)

Answer 9

you cant