document.write( "Question 973728: A square checkerboard contains a rows and columns of squares. One checker piece is placed in each square on the boundary of the checkerboard. If b is the number of pieces required to do this, what is one possible value of b? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #595801 by josgarithmetic(39617) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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Draw a model if it helps. Top and bottom rows will have a and a pieces each. The remaining left and right columns have a-2 spaces each for containing pieces. The number of board pieces to fill the boundary spaces is then $\"a%2Ba%2B%28a-2%29%2B%28a-2%29\"$ .\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Simplified, $\"4a-4\"$ boundary spaces for the checkerboard and you have $\"4a-4=b\"$ . You can find MANY possible values for b. One value which would not mean much is 0, which you'd have if a=1. No purpose in having such a checkerboard. Also, you cannot have a=0, because you cannot have meaning for b=-4. This value is nonsense. You must have $\"a%3E1\"$ ; in fact, that is also impractical. $\"a=2\"$ ? No. A board with only four spaces allows for insufficient movement of playing pieces. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The question is open-ended. Pick any value that makes sense for your purposes. \n" ); document.write( "

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