Dissecting \(d\)-cubes into smaller \(d\)-cubes (Q1380349): Difference between revisions

Let \(c(d)\) be the smallest positive integer such that for all \(k \geq c(d)\), a \(d\)-dimensional cube can be dissected into \(k\) homothetic \(d\)-dimensional cubes of smaller, not necessarily equal size. Since a single (small) cube can be dissected into \(2^d\) cubes with halved side lengths, an upper bound on \(c(d)\) can be obtained by constructing dissections whose numbers of cubes constitute a complete residue system modulo \(2^d-1\). The results in the paper are based on this observation and constructions of small dissections. The author gives exact values and upper bounds on \(c(d)\) for \(d \leq 5\), the only new result being \(c(4) \leq 809\) (apparently, some of the old results have not earlier appeared in print). The author gives the asymptotic result \(c(d) \in O((2d)^{d-1})\), thereby improving a result by \textit{P. Erdős} [Math. Balkanica 4, 197-202 (1974; Zbl 0313.10045)]. This bound is further improved in some special cases.