The answer is 60 rectangles.
Almost everyone undershoots this one, because almost everyone counts only the little boxes. The picture is a clean grid: 3 rows by 4 columns of equal rectangles — 5 vertical grid lines and 4 horizontal grid lines, nothing else. And here is the key that unlocks the whole count: every rectangle in this grid is decided by choosing 2 of the 5 vertical lines and 2 of the 4 horizontal lines.
So count the choices:
- Choose 2 of 5 vertical lines: 5 × 4 ÷ 2 = 10 ways.
- Choose 2 of 4 horizontal lines: 4 × 3 ÷ 2 = 6 ways.
- Multiply: 10 × 6 = 60 rectangles.
Want to see it the slow way, size by size? In a single row: 1×1: 12, 1×2: 9, 1×3: 6, 1×4: 3 — that’s 30. Across two rows: 2×1: 8, 2×2: 6, 2×3: 4, 2×4: 2 — that’s 20. Across all three rows: 3×1: 4, 3×2: 3, 3×3: 2, 3×4: 1 — that’s 10. Add them: 30 + 20 + 10 = 60. The whole-grid rectangle counts. The wide flat ones count. The tall skinny ones count. That’s why guessing 12 (just the small boxes) or 30 (just the single row) always falls short.
Did you land on 60, or did the big rectangles hide from you? Be honest in the comments — and watch our page for tomorrow’s counting game.
Tell us in the comments below - we read every single one, and the best takes get featured.
