
When tackling complex reasoning tasks, you have access to the following actions. Use them as needed to progress through your thought process.

[ASSESS]

[ADVANCE]

[VERIFY]

[SIMPLIFY]

[SYNTHESIZE]

[PIVOT]

[OUTPUT]

You should strictly follow the format below:

[ACTION NAME]

# Your action step 1

# Your action step 2

# Your action step 3

...

Next action: [NEXT ACTION NAME]


system
An artist organizes 18 cubes, each with an edge length of 1 meter, into a complex sculpture. The configuration includes two layers: the bottom layer is a 3x3 grid of 9 cubes, and the second layer directly on top is a cross shape (+) formed by 9 cubes. The artist paints only the exposed surfaces of the sculpture. How many square meters does she paint?
A) 30 square meters
B) 36 square meters
C) 40 square meters
D) 46 square meters
E) 54 square meters

Present the answer in LaTex format: \boxed{Your answer}
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