To find maximum number of regions in to which ‘n’ straight
lines can divide a plane:
“Maximum number
of regions can be achieved when the lines are drawn such that no two are parallel
and no three are concurrent”
Let us go case by case starting with one straight line.
Let us go case by case starting with one straight line.
One straight line can divide a plane into 2.
Two straight lines can divide a plane into 4.
Three straight lines can divide a plane into 7.
observe the sequence: 2, 4, 7,....
If we observe, it is a special sequence which can be written
as
1+1, 3+1, 6+1,......
= (1)+1, (1+2)+1, (1+2+3)+1,.....
= (1)+1, (1+2)+1, (1+2+3)+1,.....
= ∑1 + 1, ∑2 + 1, ∑3 + 1,......
So, we can generalise like this:
Maximum number of regions that ‘n’ straight lines can divide a plane = ∑n + 1 = n(n+1)/2 + 1
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