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+11
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avatar+8581 

Carmen is playing with blocks. She arranges stacks of blocks so that each successive level of blocks has 1 fewer block than the level below it and the top level has 1 block. Such a stack with 3 levels is shown below. Carmen wants to make sure a stack with 12 levels. How many blocks would she use to build this stack?

 

Okay, So.. The answer is 78. But, could someone please show me as to why?

Thank you (:

 Jan 26, 2016

Best Answer 

 #5
avatar
+5

Some calculators have a 'sigma'  summation function....the answer would be 

12 + 11 + 10.....+1      But I like Alan's way best.....

~jc

 

 Jan 26, 2016
 #1
avatar+4084 
0

I have no idea... The only thing that I thought is that she must've made a hole in the floor...

 Jan 26, 2016
 #2
avatar+33661 
+10

Start at the top and work down:

 

level 1:       1 block

level 2:       2 blocks    so 1 + 2 = 3 blocks in total

level 3:       3 blocks   so 1 + 2 + 3 = 6 blocks in total

...

level n:       n blocks   so 1+2+3...+n blocks in total.

 

Now  1+2+3+...+n = n(n+1)/2  so when n = 12   n(n+1)/2 = ?

 

 Jan 26, 2016
 #3
avatar+8581 
0

oh! Okay! I understand now! Thank you, Sir (:

 Jan 26, 2016
 #5
avatar
+5
Best Answer

Some calculators have a 'sigma'  summation function....the answer would be 

12 + 11 + 10.....+1      But I like Alan's way best.....

~jc

 

Guest Jan 26, 2016
 #6
avatar+8581 
0

I see what you mean, Jc!

 Jan 26, 2016

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