AMC 8 2026 (Problem 13)

The figure below shows a tiling of 11 unit squares. Each row of unit squares is shifted horizontally by half a unit relative to the row above it. A shaded square is drawn on top of the tiling. Each vertex of the shaded square is a vertex of one of the unit squares. In square units, what is the area of the shaded square?

Tiling of unit squares with a shaded square drawn on top

\text{(A)}\;10

\text{(B)}\;\frac{21}{2}

\text{(C)}\;\frac{32}{3}

\text{(D)}\;11

\text{(E)}\;\frac{34}{3}