The answer is 50 stars.
Count them row by row. The canton has 9 rows, and the rows alternate — a long row, a short row, a long row — starting and ending with a long row.
- Rows 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 — five rows of 6: 5 × 6 = 30
- Rows 2, 4, 6, 8 — four rows of 5: 4 × 5 = 20
30 + 20 = 50.
Here’s where most counts go wrong: the short rows tuck their stars into the gaps between the long rows, so if you count straight down a column — or just multiply 9 rows by one number — you’ll land on 45 or 54 and swear you were careful. You weren’t wrong about the rows. You were wrong about them being equal. Count the two row types separately and the argument is over.
Did you land on 50, or did the staggered rows get you? Be honest in the comments — and watch our page for tomorrow’s counting game.
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