Here's the Right Way To Cut Cake, According to Math

According to mathematician Alex Bellos, most people are cutting their cakes incorrectly when they cut it in triangular pieces, like a pie-chart. But a better method for cutting cake has existed for over a century.

British mathematician Francis Galton wrote the letter "Cutting a Round Cake on Scientific Principles" to his editor, and was published in the scientific journal Nature in 1906. In order to cut a round cake perfectly, Galton recommends taking a round cake and cutting it directly down the middle. 

"Christmas suggests cakes, and these the wish on my part to describe a method of cutting them that I have devised to my own amusement and satisfaction," Galton, clearly bored, wrote in the letter.

Cutting down the middle preserves the cake, while cutting the cake into triangular pieces dries it out. Here's how to best preserve a cake for its most flavorful taste.

First, cut two slices down the middle of the round cake. The slices should be parallel to one another.

Second, remove the two slices from the cake, onto a plate or bowl. 

Third, place the cake together, filling in the space created by removing the slices. This helps to seal the cake's flavor and prevents it from drying. Use rubber bands to hold the cake together. 

The next day, repeat the process of slicing two pieces of cake down the middle. 

Remove the slices and close the cake again. Voilà!

Read more: How to Make a 'Harry Potter'-Inspired Cauldron Cake That'll Bring the Magic