ok, so shaded=big-2squares
big=8*12=96
shaded=71
71=96-2squares
minus 96 both sides
-25=-2squares
divide both sides by -2
12.5=square
the area of eqch square is 12.5 square cm
area=side^2
area=12.5
side^2=12.5
sqrt both sides
side=√12.5 cm
the dimentions of each side of each square is [tex]\sqrt{12.5} \space\ cm[/tex]
