Seven cubes, whose volumes are $1$, $8$, $27$, $64$, $125$, $216$, and $343$ cubic units, are stacked vertically to form a tower in which the volumes of the cubes decrease from bottom to top. Except for the bottom cube, the bottom face of each cube lies completely on top of the cube below it. What is the total surface area of the tower (including the bottom) in square units?
$\textbf{(A)}\ 644\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 658\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 664\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 720\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 749$
The volume of each cube follows the pattern of $n^3$, for $n$ is between $1$ and $7$.
We see that the total surface area can be comprised of three parts: the sides of the cubes, the tops of the cubes, and the bottom of the $7\times 7\times 7$ cube (which is just $7 \times 7 = 49$). The sides areas can be measured as the sum $4\sum_{n=1}^{7} n^2$, giving us $560$. Structurally, if we examine the tower from the top, we see that it really just forms a $7\times 7$ square of area $49$. Therefore, we can say that the total surface area is $560 + 49 + 49 = \boxed{\textbf{(B) }658}$.
Alternatively, for the area of the tops, we could have found the sum $\sum_{n=2}^{7}((n)^{2}-(n-1)^{2})$, giving us $49$ as well.
~ciceronii
Note: The area on top and bottom are 49 because the largest area is 49, and the other cubes are "inscribed" in it.