Calculate the Number of Boundary Cubes and Boundary Squares of a NxN Rubik Cube


We all know what rubik cubes. For example, here is a 2×2 rubik cubes

2×2-rubik

and here is a 3×3 rubik cubes.

3×3-rubik

The number of squares of a side for a NxN Rubik cubes can be computed by (6 side and each has squares). This applies when n >= 0.

How about the cubes? A corner cube is shared by three sides and a edge cube is shared by 2 faces so that should be taken into consideration.

If we consider a more general case for a cube that has x, y and z dimensions. We will have all the cubes that is x * y * z. If we deduct the inner cubes from the total number, we have the number of boundary cubes.

So, for n-rubik cubes, the boundary cubes is and apparently this applies for If n = 0, then apparent 0, if n = 1 then apparently this should be equal to (considering 2 dimension square).

We can think of the other way to solve this. First we sum up the top and bottom boundary cubes.

which is

Then, we sum up the middle layers.

The total equals . For a NxN rubic cubes, it can be simplified to which is

This, again works for n >= 2.

If we subtract with




This means both solutions match.

–EOF (The Ultimate Computing & Technology Blog) —

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