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Problem: Let $Q$ be a convex quadrilateral which is cut into convex pieces (cells) by a finite number of lines. For any collection $(Q_i)_1^n$ of these cells, decompose $Q$ into nonoverlapping convex polygons $(R_i)_1^n$ so that $Q_i \subset R_i$ for every $i$, and $\sum s_i \le 4n$, where $s_i$ denotes the number of sides of $R_i$.

This is a technical lemma I need for a separate problem, but I can really make progress on it.

Wesley
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    Just notice that if you have a partition into convex cells and split one of them by a line into two cells, the total number of cell sides goes up by at most $4$ (two sides get split into $2$ and the new separating side is counted twice). Now take any 2 $Q_i$'s, separate them by some line you used in the original partition (so that every other $Q_j$ lies on one side of that line) and continue that process in each half separately. – fedja May 10 '19 at 22:09

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Note the following:

  1. Dissecting a convex polygon with a straight line produces two convex polygons.

  2. For any two cells in $Q$, at least one of the original cutting lines separates the two cells from each other.

Using these two observations, we can recursively subdivide $Q$ using the following procedure:

Choose any two of the $Q_i$, then choose any cutting line which separates them. This line separates $Q$ into two convex regions. If any of these two regions contains more than one of the $Q_i$ then we again choose two of the $Q_i$ which are contained within the offending region, choose a cutting line separating them and subdivide this region with the chosen line. Continue until all regions contain only one of the $Q_i$.

Fedja's comment explains why $\sum s_i\le 4n$ for the resulting decomposition.

Angela Pretorius
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