Permutation and combination involving Squares

Question 1:
Find the number of squares which can be formed from 8 cm x 8 cm chessboard?

Solution:
Figure A Let us consider a 8cmX8cmchessboard as shown in the

in which AB=BC==HI=1 cm

Let us calculate those squares which have area 1 cm2.

We have 8 such squares in each row and column

Therefore in totality

we have 88 = 82 squares
Now we calculate those squares which have area 4 cm2
i.e. we pick those squares having side length 2. Obvious choices are picking squares with sides AC
,BD,CF,DF,EG,FH,GI i.e. 7 possibilities in a row.Similalrly 7 choices (AK,JL,KM,LN,MO,NP,OQ)possible as we move
down in a column i.e sides of length 2cm .So 7 squares in each row and column therefore in totality we have total of
77 = 72 squares
Next we calculate those squares which have area 9 cm2
i.e. we pick those squares having side length 3. Obvious choices are picking squares with sides AD
,BE,CF,DG,EH,FI i.e. 6 possibilities in a row.Similalrly 6 choices (AL,JM,KN,LO,MP,NQ)possible as we move down
in a column i.e. sides of length 3cm .So 6 squares in each row and column therefore in totality we have total of 66 =
62 squares .
Similarly, number of squares having side length 4 will be 52 squares
Similarly, number of squares having side length 5 will be 42 squares
Similarly, number of squares having side length 6 will be 32 squares
Similarly, number of squares having side length 7 will be 22 squares
Similarly, number of squares having side length 8 will be 12 squares

GENERALISATION:
Number of squares which can be formed from N x N chessboard

Question 2:
Find the number of rectangles which can be formed from 8 cm x 8 cm chessboard?
Solution:
METHOD 1
We first calculate rectangles of size 88 clearly it will be only 1 (Whole of chess board)
Now we calculate rectangles of size 12
Let us understand this in detail ,if we fix one side as AJ (1 cm) .Then possibilities of other side of rectangles are AC
,BD,CF,DF,EG,FH,GI i.e. 7 possibilities .

Similarly for JK,KL,..,PQ we have 7 possibilities each.Therefore in totality 8 x7 rectangles of size

-12 are possible

Analogous to this we can directly say rectangles of size 21 will be 78

Now we calculate rectangles of size 13
Let us understand this in detail ,if we fix one side as AJ (1 cm) .Then possibilities of other side of rectangles are AD
,BE,CF,DG,EH,FI i.e. 6 possibilities .
Similarly for JK,KL,..,PQ we have 6 possibilities each.Therefore in totality 8 x6 rectangles of size

13 are possible

Analogous to this we can directly say rectangles of size 31 will be 68

Similarly rectangles of size 14 will be 85 and rectangles of size 41 will be 58 and so on

Hence total number of rectangles will be

METHOD 2
Number of selections of 2 consecutive lines out of the given 8 parallel lines =8

Number of selections of 3 consecutive lines out of the given 8 parallel lines =7

Number of selections of 4 consecutive lines out of the given 8 parallel lines =6

Number of selections of 5 consecutive lines out of the given 8 parallel lines =5

Number of selections of 8 consecutive lines out of the given 8 parallel lines =1

Therefore number of rectangles = (1+2+3+.+8) (1+2+3+.+8)

=1296

GENERALISATION:
Number of rectangles which can be formed from N x N chessboard
Question 3:
Find the number of pure rectangles which can be formed from 8 cm x 8 cm chessboard?
Solution:
We calculated earlier, Number of rectangles formed in 8 cm x 8 cm chessboard =1296

Number of squares in 8 cm x 8 cm chessboard =204

Thus number of pure rectangles = No of rectangles No of Squares=1296 204=1092

The next obvious generalization which can be done on the basis of what we learnt above is

GENERALISATION:

Question 4:
Find the number of parallelograms which can be formed from 8 cm x 8 cm chessboard?
Solution:
We know parallelogram is such a figure in which opposite sides are parallel

Out of the given 9 parallel HORIZONTAL lines we can choose any two lines which can be done in

ways. Similarly

Out of the given 9 VERTICAL set of parallel lines we can choose any two lines which can be done in
Question 5:
Given is a road map of a city in form of chess board (as shown in figure A). Find the number of different
paths that a person can take to reach from one corner to diagonally opposite corner of the city (From corner
Q to I)?
Solution:
Let us take simplest path in going from to Q to I by taking straight road from Q to A then straight road from A to I i.e.
he goes from

QP -> PO ->ON->NM->ML->LK->KJ->JA->AB -> BC ->CD->DE->EF->FG->GH->HI

Notice that he took 8 vertical steps (VVVVVVVV where V denotes vertical step) and 8 horizontal steps(HHHHHHHH
where H denotes horizontal steps) i.e. he moved in following manner

VVVVVVVVHHHHHHHH

Or even if person chooses some other path as well then also it will involve 8 vertical steps or 8 horizontal steps
arranged in some other pattern

We know the no of ways of arranging the word with 8 V and 8 H are

Question 6:
Given is a road map of a city in form of chess board (as shown in figure B where a portion in between is
darkened to depict that in between roads are under construction). Find the number of different paths that a
person can take to reach from A to X first then from Y to B under the condition that a person cannot take in
between roads which are under construction?
Solution:

Let us calculate the number of ways a which a person

can go from A to X
In going from A to X a person will take 3 horizontal

steps (HHH where H denotes horizontal steps)and 3 vertical

VVV where V denotes vertical step) i.e. he moved in

Following manner

VVVHHH

We know the no of ways of arranging the word with 3 V and 3 H are

Now as per given in between roads are under construction so he cannot take in between roads which are under
construction so there are only 2 ways to go from X to Y i.e. from X ->P->Y or X ->Q->Y

In going from Y to B a person will take 2 horizontal

Steps (HH where H denotes horizontal steps)and 2 vertical( VV where V denotes vertical step) i.e. he moved in
following manner VVHH.
We know the no of ways of arranging the word with 2 V and 2 H are

Thus total number of ways in going from A to B = (20)(2)(6)=240 ways

Question 7:
Two squares are chosen at random from small squares drawn on a chess board. Find the number of ways in
which 2 squares can be chosen such that they have exactly one corner in common?
Solution:

Two squares selected can have a corner common if they are selected from two
consecutive rows or columns. The number of ways to select two consecutive rows(or columns) are 7.
Two squares selected can have a corner common if they are selected from two consecutive rows or columns. The
number of ways to select two consecutive rows(or columns) are 7.

For each pair of two consecutive rows(or columns) ,the number of pairs of squares having exactly one common
corner =(2)(7)=14 ways

Total number of favourable selections= (14)(7)=98

Question 8:
Find the number of ways in which a white and a black square on a chess board be chosen so that two
squares do not belong to same row or column?
Solution:
In a standard chess board we have 32 white squares and 32 black squares .Thus any white square can be chosen in
32 ways and once a particular white square is chosen we cannot pick any other square row from that particular row or
column(i.e. in that row or column we will have 4 black and 4 white squares)Hence we are left with 32 8 = 24
squares .Therefore , the number of ways in which a white and a black square on a chess board be chosen so that
two squares do not belong to same row or column are (32)(24)=768 ways

Question 9:
In the given Grid(A Chessboard designed in such a way that middle square of outer chess board 88
contains 1 more smaller grid of dimension 44 ), Find the number of squares of all possible dimensions?
Solution:
Clearly the number of squares in the outer 88 chess board = 82+72+62+52+42+32+22+12 =208
Clearly the number of squares in the inner 4 x 4 grid = 42+32+22+12=30
But one square is common. Thus required number of squares =208+30 -1 =237