A Proof Without Words: Triangles in the Triangular Grid

Abstract

This proof without words demonstrates that there are $\binom{n+2}{4}$ equilateral triangles in the regular $n$-vertices-per-side triangular grid by describing a map from four-element subsets of $\{1,2, \dots, n+2\}$ into the set of equilateral triangles in this grid. Specifically, we illustrate the triangle that corresponds to the subset $\{4,5,8,11\}$ under this bijection when $n = 10$.