Problema Solution

(The story of chess) According to a legend, chess was created on request of a games-loving king of Persia many years ago. The king loved the game, and told the creator to name any price he wanted. The man told the king that he wanted to be paid in wheat, and the amount is to be calculated the following way: 1 grain of wheat on the first square of the chessboard, 2 on the second, 4 on the third, 8 on the fourth, etc. How many grains of wheat were to be on the last square?

Answer provided by our tutors

First square has: 1 grain

Second square: 1*2 grains

3rd square: 1*2*2 grains

4th square: 1*2*2*2 = 2^3 grains

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64th square: 2^(64 - 1) = 2^63 grains

The last square will have 2^63 grains on it.