A square sheet of aerospace alloy shim stock is folded in half along its vertical centerline from right to left, and then folded in half again from bottom to top into a quarter-sized square. Two distinct circular holes of diameter $2\text{ mm}$ are punched completely through the folded laminate. When the sheet is fully unfolded, what is the total number of circular holes in the sheet?

(A) 8

(B) 4

(C) 6

(D) 16

Answer Key:

A

### 5-Stage Derivation & Analytical Solution: 1. **Stage 1: Layer Count:** 1 fold = 2 layers. 2 orthogonal folds = $2 \times 2 = 4$ layers. 2. **Stage 2: Holes Punch:** 2 holes punched across 4 layers. 3. **Stage 3: Unfolding:** Each punch reproduces across all 4 quadrants without overlapping the fold edges. Total holes = $2 \times 4 = 8$. 4. **Stage 4: Selection:** Option A is correct.

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