2003 AMC 8 Problem 13

Attempt Problem 13 of the 2003 AMC 8 below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2003 AMC 8 solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

13.

Fourteen white cubes are put together to form the figure on the right. The complete surface of the figure, including the bottom, is painted red. The figure is then separated into individual cubes. How many of the individual cubes have exactly four red faces?
44
66
88
1010
1212
Answer: B
Concepts:3D geometrysurface area
Small hint:
A cube has four painted faces exactly when it touches two other cubes.
Big hint:
Separate the top cubes, bottom corner cubes, and remaining cubes.
Solution:
A cube has exactly four painted faces exactly when it is attached to exactly two other cubes.
The 44 top cubes touch only one other cube, so they have 55 painted faces. The 44 bottom corner cubes touch three other cubes, so they have 33 painted faces.
The remaining 14−4−4=614-4-4=6 cubes each touch exactly two other cubes, so they have exactly four painted faces.
Thus, B is the correct answer.
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