Geometry – Proof of the Pizza Theorem

geometry

How do we prove the Pizza Theorem?

I tried a coordinate bash (I also involved the concept of finding areas through definite integration)… But was too complicated.

I read about it at the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_theorem

Best Answer

Lemma. Consider $n\geq2$ equally spaced chords through the point $(a,0)$ of the unit disk, having slopes $\phi_k:=\phi_0+{k\pi\over n}$ $\>(1\leq k\leq n)$. Then the sum of the squares of the $2n$ resulting chord pieces is $2n$, independently of $\phi_0$.

Proof. Intersecting the line $s\mapsto (a+s\cos\phi, s\sin\phi)$ with the unit circle we get the equation $s^2+2as\cos\phi+a^2-1=0$. If $s_1$ and $s_2$ are its two solutions we can say that $$s_1^2+s_2^2=(s_1+s_2)^2-2s_1s_2=4a^2 \cos^2\phi-2(a^2-1)=2+2a^2\cos(2\phi).$$ Noting that $\sum_{k=1}^n\cos(2\phi_k)=0$ we conclude that the sum of the $2n$ considered squares is $2n$.

Proof of the Theorem. Assume that we have $4n\geq8$ equally spaced blades, and let $S(\phi)$ denote the shaded pizza area when one blade points in direction $\phi$. When $\phi\mapsto r(\phi)$ is the polar representation of the circular pizza boundary with respect to the center of the cutter then it is easy to see that $$S'(\phi)=\pm{1\over2}\sum_{k=1}^{4n} (-1)^k r^2\left(\phi+{k\pi\over2n}\right)\ .$$ Here the right side is $\equiv0$, since the alternating sum of the $4n$ blade-length-squares vanishes according to the Lemma. It is then easy to see that $S(\phi)\equiv$ half the area of the pizza.

Applying the Theorem to two concentric pizzas of radii $1$ and $1+\epsilon$ one concludes that the "crust area" is halved as well, and in the limit $\epsilon\to0+$ it follows that the shaded areas together cover half the circumference of the pizza.

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