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This problem allows students to investigate the relationship between triangle numbers expressed as a sum and triangle numbers expressed visually. Students may focus on either representation to arrive at a conclusion. The problem can be concrete with students focusing on small numbers or can be extended to give a general result.
This printable worksheet may be useful: Triangle Numbers .
You could discuss the structure of triangle numbers as a sum (i.e. add $2$, then $3$, then $4$, then $5$, etc.) and then ask students to describe the visual layout of the triangle numbers coloured in the grid. Students can then experiment on paper to try to spot patterns from which a general conjecture might be made.