AMC8 2022 8, Problem 1

The Math Team designed a logo shaped like a multiplication symbol, shown below on a grid of 1-inch squares. What is the area of the logo in square inches? [asy] defaultpen(linewidth(0.5)); size(5cm); defaultpen(fontsize(14pt)); label("$\textbf{Math}$", (2.1,3.7)--(3.9,3.7)); label("$\textbf{Team}$", (2.1,3)--(3.9,3)); filldraw((1,2)--(2,1)--(3,2)--(4,1)--(5,2)--(4,3)--(5,4)--(4,5)--(3,4)--(2,5)--(1,4)--(2,3)--(1,2)--cycle, mediumgray*0.5 + lightgray*0.5);  draw((0,0)--(6,0), gray); draw((0,1)--(6,1), gray); draw((0,2)--(6,2), gray); draw((0,3)--(6,3), gray); draw((0,4)--(6,4), gray); draw((0,5)--(6,5), gray); draw((0,6)--(6,6), gray);  draw((0,0)--(0,6), gray); draw((1,0)--(1,6), gray); draw((2,0)--(2,6), gray); draw((3,0)--(3,6), gray); draw((4,0)--(4,6), gray); draw((5,0)--(5,6), gray); draw((6,0)--(6,6), gray); [/asy]

Solution: Draw the following four lines as shown: [asy] usepackage("mathptmx"); defaultpen(linewidth(0.5)); size(5cm); defaultpen(fontsize(14pt)); label("$\textbf{Math}$", (2.1,3.7)--(3.9,3.7)); label("$\textbf{Team}$", (2.1,3)--(3.9,3)); filldraw((1,2)--(2,1)--(3,2)--(4,1)--(5,2)--(4,3)--(5,4)--(4,5)--(3,4)--(2,5)--(1,4)--(2,3)--(1,2)--cycle, mediumgray*0.5 + lightgray*0.5);  draw((0,0)--(6,0), gray); draw((0,1)--(6,1), gray); draw((0,2)--(6,2), gray); draw((0,3)--(6,3), gray); draw((0,4)--(6,4), gray); draw((0,5)--(6,5), gray); draw((0,6)--(6,6), gray);  draw((0,0)--(0,6), gray); draw((1,0)--(1,6), gray); draw((2,0)--(2,6), gray); draw((3,0)--(3,6), gray); draw((4,0)--(4,6), gray); draw((5,0)--(5,6), gray); draw((6,0)--(6,6), gray);  draw((3,4)--(4,3), red); draw((4,3)--(3,2), red); draw((3,2)--(2,3), red); draw((2,3)--(3,4), red); [/asy] We see these lines split the figure into five squares with side length $\sqrt2$. Thus, the area is $5\cdot\left(\sqrt2\right)^2=5\cdot 2 = \fbox{10}$.

Answer: 10