Find the total number of squares in the given figure.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → 17
The figure is a grid of 6 × 2 small squares. A square of side \(k\) small squares can start at \(7-k\) places across and \(3-k\) places down.
1 × 1 squares: \(6\times2=12\)
2 × 2 squares: \(5\times1=5\)
Total \(=12+5=17\) squares.
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (1) 91 — Incorrect. This uses the count for a square grid of 6 × 6, but the grid is 6 × 2.
Option (3) 5 — Incorrect. This uses the count for a square grid of 2 × 2, but the grid is 6 × 2.
Option (4) 12 — Incorrect. This leaves out the 5 2 × 2 squares.