wheat and chessboard problem

English
By the time that the fifth square is reached on the chessboard, the board contains a total of 31 grains of wheat.

Alternative forms
  • rice and chessboard problem

Proper noun

wheat and chessboard problem

  1. (mathematics) A mathematical problem where one grain of wheat is placed on the first square of a chessboard, two on the second, four on the third, and so on, with each square having twice as many grains of wheat as the previous square.

Usage notes
  • The total number of grains on the chessboard when it is completely filled is 18,446,744,073,709,551,615, or 264 − 1.
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