Minimum number of straight lines required to form the below figure?

Question: What is the minimum number of straight lines required to form the given figure?

Step 1: Observe the structure

The image consists of a large square divided into smaller squares. Each smaller square contains two diagonal lines forming an “X,” effectively dividing each square into 4 triangles. All lines are straight and cover multiple shapes where possible to minimize repetition.

Step 2: Count the lines

• Vertical lines: There are 3 vertical lines dividing the square into 4 equal columns.
• Horizontal lines: There are 3 horizontal lines dividing the square into 4 equal rows.
• Diagonals: Each of the 4 rows contains 4 squares. Since each square has 2 diagonals, the total is 4 × 4 × 2 = 32 diagonals. However, many diagonals are shared across adjacent squares, reducing the actual number of unique lines required.

Step 3: Optimize for minimum lines

By extending each diagonal line through multiple squares wherever possible, the total number of lines required reduces significantly.

• 4 diagonal lines from top-left to bottom-right (↘ direction)
• 4 diagonal lines from top-right to bottom-left (↙ direction)

Total line count:

• Vertical lines: 3
• Horizontal lines: 3
• Diagonal lines: 4 + 4 = 8

Total = 3 + 3 + 8 = 14 lines

Final Answer: 14 straight lines