Solution: Minimum Cuts to Divide a Circle
Understand how to determine the minimum number of cuts required to divide a circle into equal slices. This lesson explains the difference in approach for even and odd numbers of slices, showing how cuts through the center create equal parts efficiently. You'll learn a concise mathematical method to solve this geometry challenge with constant time and space complexity.
We'll cover the following...
Statement
Given an integer n, determine the minimum number of cuts required to divide the circle into n equal slices. A valid cut in a circle is defined as one of the following:
A cut is represented by a straight line that passes through the circle’s center and touches two points on its edge.
A cut is represented by a straight line touching one point on the circle’s edge and center.
Constraints:
n
Solution
To cut a circle into