2026 AMC 8 Problem 13

Attempt Problem 13 of the 2026 AMC 8 below, then check your answer against the video solution and professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2026 AMC 8 solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

13.

The figure below shows a tiling of 1×11 \times 1 unit squares. Each row of unit squares is shifted horizontally by half a unit relative to the row above it. A shaded square is drawn on top of the tiling. Each vertex of the shaded square is a vertex of one of the unit squares. In square units, what is the area of the shaded square?
1010
212\dfrac{21}{2}
323\dfrac{32}{3}
1111
343\dfrac{34}{3}
Answer: A
Concepts:Pythagorean Theoremsquare (geometry)
Small hint:
Look at one side of the shaded square
Big hint:
That side moves 33 units horizontally and 11 unit vertically
Video solution:
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Written solution:
One side of the shaded square goes 33 unit widths horizontally and 11 unit vertically in the grid. Its length squared is therefore 32+12=103^2+1^2=10. The area of a square equals its side length squared, so the shaded area is 1010.
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