1. The problem states that there is a rectangular grid with 8 columns and 4 rows, making a total of $8 \times 4$ small squares. 2. The total number of small squares is calculated by multiplying the number of columns by the number of rows: $$8 \times 4 = 32$$ 3. This means the grid contains 32 small squares in total. 4. The problem also mentions that 5 of these squares in the top-left corner are shaded. 5. This information can be used to understand proportions or fractions of the grid if needed, but the main calculation is the total number of squares. Final answer: The grid contains $32$ small squares in total.