rectangle Consider a rectangle with coordinates (0,0), (3,0), (3,2), (0,2) and count the number of lattice points (points with whole number coordinates, coloured yellow in the diagram) on the perimeter and inside the rectangle.

Define k-points as points with coordinates (a/k, b/k) where a, b and k are integers. For example, for the rectangle in the diagram the yellow points are the lattice points, k=1, and the 2-points are the red and yellow points taken together.

It is known that for any polygon in the plane which has vertices at lattice points the number of k-points in the interior of the polygon is Ak2 - Bk + C and the number of k-points in the closed polygon, including the perimeter and the interior, is Ak2 + Bk + C. Verify that these quadratic formulae hold for the given rectangle and find A, B and C.

Suggest a connection between the coefficients A, B and C and the area of the rectangle and the number of k-points on the perimeter.

Assume that for any plane polygon there is a quadratic formula for the number of k-points inside the polygon given by Ak2 -Bk + C. Explain why, for large k, the area of the polygon is given by

lim
k® ¥ 
 number of interiork-points
k2
 = A.