A certain cube is composed of 1000 smaller cubes, arranged 10 by 10 by 10. The top layer of cubes is removed from a face, then from the adjacent face above it, then from the adjacent face to the right of the first. The process is repeated on the same three faces in reverse order. Finally, a last layer is taken from the first face. How many smaller cubes have been removed from the larger cube?
(A) 488
(B) 552
(C) 612
(D) 722
(E) 900![]()
(A) 488
(B) 552
(C) 612
(D) 722
(E) 900
