Solution:
The answer is (B). For n≥1 the figure Fn is a hexagon having three long sides and three short sides, alternating with each other. Each of the long ones is made up of n+1 sides of triangles, while each of the short ones is made up of n sides of triangles. Letting xn be the number of triangles of the tessellation making up Fn, we compute the analogous number xn+1 by counting the triangles of the frame that is added to Fn to obtain Fn+1. This count gives xn+1−xn. We can build the frame in three stages: in the first we add one triangle for each of the sides of the triangles that make up the sides of the hexagon Fn, thus altogether 3(2n+1) triangles; in the second stage we add the triangles that must be inserted between those of the first stage, n on each long side and n−1 on each short side, thus altogether 3(2n−1); finally, in the third stage we add two triangles for each vertex of Fn, that is 12 triangles. The total is
xn+1−xn=3(2n+1)+3(2n−1)+12=12n+12cioeˋxn+1−xn=12(n+1).
Let us now write x1=1+12 (the result of an easy direct count) and the previous formula for n=1,…,9 (that is x2−x1=12⋅2,…x10−x9=12⋅10 ), sum everything term by term and simplify the left-hand side. What remains is that x10=1+12+12⋅2+12⋅3+⋯+12⋅10. Hence
x10=1+12(1+2+3+⋯+10)=1+12⋅210⋅11=661.
Second Solution
The figure Fn is an equilateral triangle of side 3n+1 from which 3 equilateral triangles of side n resting on the vertices have been removed. Hence Fn is made up of (3n+1)2−3n2=6n2+6n+1 small triangles of side 1 .