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jmc

counting and probability senior

Problem

An 8 by 8 checkerboard has alternating black and white squares. How many distinct squares, with sides on the grid lines of the checkerboard (horizontal and vertical) and containing at least 5 black squares, can be drawn on the checkerboard?

problem
Solution
No squares or squares contain five black squares. Every square which is or larger does. However, a square will only contain 5 black squares if its upper left corner is black. We can choose the upper left corner of a square in ways, but for only half of these squares will the upper left corner be black. Therefore, there are squares containing at least 5 black squares. We can choose the position of the upper left square of a square in ways, so there are 25 squares. Similarly, there are 16 squares, 9 squares, 4 squares and 1 square. There are a total of squares containing at least 5 black squares.
Final answer
73