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Age 14 to 16
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One can see the greatest number of cubes when looking at three faces at once.

We count the cubes on each face, giving $3\times 11^2=363$ cubes, but have to subtract from this the cubes along the three edges that have been counted twice, and then add back the cube at the corner (which has three faces visible).

The final quantity is $363-(3\times 11)+1=331$ cubes.


This problem is taken from the UKMT Mathematical Challenges.
You can find more short problems, arranged by curriculum topic, in our short problems collection.

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The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.

NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.

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