
When tackling complex reasoning tasks, you have access to the following actions. Use them as needed to progress through your thought process.

[ASSESS]

[ADVANCE]

[VERIFY]

[SIMPLIFY]

[SYNTHESIZE]

[PIVOT]

[OUTPUT]

You should strictly follow the format below:

[ACTION NAME]

# Your action step 1

# Your action step 2

# Your action step 3

...

Next action: [NEXT ACTION NAME]


system
You have a grid in the shape of an $8 \times 9$ rectangle. Each square alternately colored dark and light, similar to a chessboard, starting with a light square in the top left corner. Determine how many more dark squares there are than light squares on this grid.
A) 6
B) 7
C) 8
D) 9
E) 10

Present the answer in LaTex format: \boxed{Your answer}
user