How Many Cubes?

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Problem Description

A puzzle to find the total number of embedded cubes of any size that can be found in this 4x4x4 cubical structure.
 

Background & Techniques

The "Ask Marilyn" column in today's edition of Parade Magazine (Dec. 15, 2013) offers this puzzle:

"Consider a cubical structure composed of unit cubes (like a child's building blocks), four on an edge. Without drawing the structure or actually assembling it, how many cubical shapes can you envision within it?"

My first "envisioning" was incorrect but since computer programs were not forbidden, here's a small program with 25 lines of source code that verifies Marilyn's answer.  Try your hand at it, then click the button to see how the program solves it. Oh, and the solution of course.

Programmer's Notes:

I kept the analysis of the algorithm hidden until user clicks the  "Show me" button, but here are the 10 lines of code which does the trick:

for i:=1 to 4 do C[i]:=0; {initialize the cube counts}
for i:=1 to 4 do {lwidth: left to right}
for j:=1 to 4 do {depth: front to back} 
for k:=1 to 4 do {height: bottom to top}
begin
    inc(C[1]); {count 1x1 cubes - should be 64 of these}
    if (i<4) and (j<4) and (k<4) then inc(C[2]); {generate all 2x2x2 cubes by counting  left, front, bottom corner cubes}
    if (i<3) and (j<3) and (k<3) then inc(C[3]); {count 3x3x3 cudes the same way}
    if (i<2) and (j<2) and (k<2) then inc(C[4]); {count the only 4x4x4 cube (I hope)}
end;

 

Running/Exploring the Program 

bulletDownload  executable
bulletDownload source 

Suggestions for Further Explorations

???

 

Original:  December 15, 2013

Modified:  May 15, 2018

 
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