2 hrs confidence:   yes, 6 parts and all of them should be the same
Explanation:
If it is a round cake it should be devide in 6 parts and all of them the same.
Thesaurus-quadrant: part,sector (not for cake)
also semicircle and that is understood as: half circle, hemicycle, quadrant, sextan or sector ....
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3 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +2 six-section symmetrical design
Explanation:
It must be a round cake, and the description is of the design on top. I would avoid the use of "parts" or "pieces", since this implies three dimensions. Dusty's "sectors" is a little too mathematical for everyday language, as he agrees.
"Quadrant" is incorrectly used; nevertheless, the meaning can be deduced.
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Note added at 3 hrs 44 mins (2005-04-06 14:35:14 GMT)
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A quadrant could be square if it were one-fourth of a square cake, but in the context of \"6-quadrant\", a square would not fit.
| Refugio
Local time: 03:13
Native speaker of:  English
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36 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +3 6 sectors
Explanation:
Assuming that this is indeed a ROUND cake (the only logical assumption I can make), I feel sure it just means 'divided/marked out into 6 equal SECTORS' --- please note that, strictly speaking, these are NOT 'segments', even though they are often loosely called that in everyday parlance. Here's the applicable OED definition of sector:
"A plane figure contained by two radii and an arc of a circle... which they intercept."
Note that (unlike in English) in French, the term 'quadrant' IS sometimes used (inaccurately IMO) to describe a sector other than an exact quarter of a circle.
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Note added at 43 mins (2005-04-06 11:33:56 GMT)
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I agree that the technically-correct term \'sector\' is relatively uncommon in everyday language, but be that as it may, \'quadrant\' is less \'correct\' --- by its very etymology, it means \' a quarter of something\', and should not ever be used, even very sloppily, to refer to a sector-shape that is other than a quarter-circle. See the applicable OED definition for \'quadrant\':
\"A plane figure bounded by two radii of a circle AT RIGHT ANGLES and the arc cut off by them\"
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Note added at 45 mins (2005-04-06 11:36:13 GMT)
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Here\'s a ref. mentioning sectors in an illustrative fashion --- though note that the \'cake\' here is referring to a pie chart, not a REAL cake (pity!):
Oral presentations: 7. Tips for Visualization
No more than 3 columns in column diagrams. At most 6 sectors in cake diagrams ...
www.techfak.uni-kiel.de/matwis/amat/elmat_en/kap_1/advanced...
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Note added at 56 mins (2005-04-06 11:47:09 GMT)
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I agree that in everyday language, \'sector\' is unusual, and at best we often (incorrectly) find \'segment\'. But this context seems to be some kind of formal rules or specification, in which case I feel it is entirely appropriate to use the technically accurate and totally unambiguous term \'sector\':
\"Top must have a symmetrical design of 6 equal sectors\"
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Note added at 1 hr 21 mins (2005-04-06 12:12:10 GMT)
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Not necessarily the SAME (though that would be one possible interpretation of \'symmetrical\') --- it might just mean that they match in some other way --- for example, alternate red and green sectors... \'Symmetrical\' probably also refers to the fact that they are EQUAL sectors (rather than just 6 pieces of uneven size)
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Note added at 1 hr 23 mins (2005-04-06 12:14:53 GMT)
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CMJ:
I agree that a CAKE can be divided into 6 parts, of course, in everyday langauge; and by extension, I think anyone would agree that could apply also to the design on it.
My query was only with the word \'quadrant\', and I think this semantic discussion is EXTREMELY relevant, given the specifc nature of Asker\'s question: \"Can a quadrant mean 1/6 or not?\"
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Note added at 4 hrs 50 mins (2005-04-06 15:41:36 GMT)
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Asker, this \'symmetrical\' can mean all sorts of things, and there are different types of symmetry. It might merely mean that the design is divided up into matching sections, or that the sections are similar or even completely identical, and it may be talking about rotational symmetry (same section repeated 6 times round centre point) or mirror-image symmetry (same design repeated on opposite sides of the cake, as if in a mirror)
Personally, I think CMJ is making a perfectly logical assumption that is is made up of 6 identical sections laid out around the centre...
| Tony M
France
Local time: 12:13
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 24
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