Answer:
21 squares
Step-by-step explanation:
Here in this question, we are given a pattern and we want to determine what the values in that pattern will be at a specific step.
We proceed as follows;
What we can see in this pattern is that the difference in number of squares between a pattern and the next pattern increases by the addition of the next integer to the number of squares we have in the last pattern.
Thus for step 5, we shall be adding the next integer( 5) to the number of squares ;
That would be 10 + 5 = 15 squares
For step 6, we shall be adding the next integer (6) to the number of squares in step 5.
That would be 15 + 6 = 21 squares
How we got the initial next integer?
step 1 = 1 square
step 2 = 3 squares ( integer difference of 2)
step 3 = 6 squares ( integer difference of 3)
step 4 = 10 squares ( integer difference of 4)
so;
step 5 = 15 squares ( integer difference of 5)
step 6 = 21 squares( integer difference of 6)