Colourful Cube

A colourful cube is made from little red and yellow cubes. But can you work out how many of each?
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Colourful Cube printable sheet



This cube is made up from $3\times 3\times 3$ little cubes whose faces are either all red or all yellow. 

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Colourful Cube
 

The views from all sides of the cube look like this, and the little cube in the centre is red.

How many little red cubes are used in total? How many little yellow cubes are used?

Suppose the other views of the cube do not necessarily look like this, and the little cube in the centre is not necessarily red.

What is the most and least number of little red cubes that could be used? 

With thanks to Don Steward, whose ideas formed the basis of this problem.