Cubes.
Typically, a cube has
_____ faces
_____ edges
_____ corners
Cutting through an edge:
1 cut: ____ pieces
2 cuts: ____ pieces
3 cuts: ____ pieces
In general,
If N cuts are made on an edge, it divides the edge into ______________
pieces.
Alternately,
If an edge is to be divided into M pieces, the number of cuts to be made
on that edge should be ______________.
Maximizing the number of pieces with a fixed number of cuts.
A cube is cut parallel to its base to give 2 identical pieces as shown:
What is the maximum number of identical pieces that the cube can be
cut into, by making another (2nd) cut?
What is the maximum number of identical pieces that the cube can be
cut into, by making another (3rd) cut?
What is the maximum number of identical pieces that the cube can be
cut into, by making 4 cuts?
In general,
Length Breadth Height Total
Cuts L B H
Pieces
Note: To maximize the number of identical pieces, the cuts should be
What is the maximum number of identical pieces that a cube can be
cut into by making
(i) 3 cuts?
Length Breadth Height Total
Cuts 3
Pieces
(ii) 12 cuts?
Length Breadth Height Total
Cuts 12
Pieces
(iii) 8 cuts?
Length Breadth Height Total
Cuts 8
Pieces
(iv) 13 cuts?
Length Breadth Height Total
Cuts 13
Pieces
A cube is cut parallel to one of its face by making 5 parallel cuts such
that all the pieces are identical. What is the maximum number of
pieces that the cube can be now cut into by making 3 more cuts?
Length Breadth Height Total
Cuts 8
Pieces
Minimizing the number of cuts for a fixed number of pieces.
What is the minimum number of cuts required to cut a cube into
(i) 8 identical pieces?
Length Breadth Height Total
Cuts
Pieces 8
(ii) 64 identical pieces?
Length Breadth Height Total
Cuts
Pieces 64
(iii) 100 identical pieces?
Length Breadth Height Total
Cuts
Pieces 100
(iv) 120 identical pieces?
Length Breadth Height Total
Cuts
Pieces 120
Set 1:
A colourless cube is dipped in Red paint. Now 4 cuts are made parallel
to each face such that the cube is cut into 125 identical pieces as
shown in the diagram:
How many of these pieces have
(i) 3 faces painted?
(ii) 2 faces painted?
(iii) 1 face painted?
(iv) No face painted?
Set 2:
A colourless cube is painted in
Red, Blue and Green colour on
the three pairs of opposite faces.
Now 3 cuts are made parallel to
each face such that the cube is
cut into 64 identical pieces. How
many of these pieces have
1. Exactly 2 faces painted?
A. 24 B. 36
C. 18 D. 12
2. Exactly 2 colours on it?
A. 12 B. 18
C. 24 D. 36
3. Exactly 3 colours on it?
A. 2 B. 4
C. 6 D. 8
4. Atleast 1 face painted Red?
A. 16 B. 24
C. 28 D. 32
5. No face painted Red ?
A. 16 B. 24
C. 32 D. 36
6. Atleast 1 face painted?
A. 8 B. 24
C. 36 D. 56
7. Only Red colour on it?
A. 8 B. 10
C. 16 D. 32
Set 3:
A colourless cube is painted in
Red, Blue and Green colour on
the three pairs of adjacent faces.
Now 3 cuts are made parallel to
each face such that the cube is
cut into 64 identical pieces. How
many of these pieces have
1. Exactly 2 faces painted?
A. 24 B. 36
C. 18 D. 12
2. Exactly 2 colours on it?
A. 12 B. 18
C. 24 D. 36
3. Exactly 3 colours on it?
A. 2 B. 4
C. 6 D. 8
4. Atleast 1 face painted Red?
A. 16 B. 24
C. 28 D. 32
5. No face painted Red ?
A. 16 B. 24
C. 32 D. 36
6. Atleast 1 face painted?
A. 8 B. 24
C. 36 D. 56
7. Only Red colour on it?
A. 8 B. 10
C. 16 D. 32
Set 4:
A colourless cube is painted in
Red and Green colours
respectively on the 2 pairs of
opposite faces. Now 5 cuts are
made parallel to each face such
that the cube is cut into 216
identical pieces. How many of
these pieces have
1. Exactly 2 faces painted?
A. 24 B. 48
C. 36 D. 16
2. Exactly 2 colours on it?
A. 24 B. 48
C. 36 D. 16
3. No face coloured?
A. 18 B. 36
C. 48 D. 96
Miscellaneous questions:
1. Somebody marked the six faces
of a dice with the numbers 1, 2
and 3 - each number twice. The
dice was put on a table. Four
people - Ali, Baba, Chalis and
Dhor - sat around the table so
that each one was able to see
only three sides of the dice at a
glance.
Ali sees the number 1 and two
even numbers.
Baba and Chalis can see three
different numbers each.
Dhor sees number 2 twice and he
can't remember the third
number.
What number is face down on
the table?
A. 1 B. 2
C. 3 D. Can't Say
2. Which symbol is on the opposite
face of symbol@?
A. $ B. #
C. & D. *
3. In this question, three views of a
cube are given. In the options,
another 4 possible views of the
same cube are given, one of
which is wrong. Identify the
choice which contains the wrong
view and mark it as your answer.