Final answer:
To provide a subnet with 62 usable IP addresses, one would need a subnet mask that supports at least 64 addresses. Calculating the necessary host bits reveals that a /26 CIDR notation, denoting 26 network bits and leaving 6 bits for hosts, is required for such a subnet.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to subnetting in the context of IP addressing and requires determining the appropriate subnet mask for a given number of IP addresses. To offer a subnet with 62 usable addresses, the subnet mask must allow for at least 62 host addresses plus 2 addresses reserved for the network and broadcast addresses, making a total of 64 addresses.
To calculate the subnet mask for 62 hosts, you can use the formula 2^n - 2 ≥ number of hosts, where n is the number of bits used for host addresses. In this case, to support 62 hosts, you need 2^6 (64) addresses because 2^6 is 64 and 64 - 2 is 62, which satisfies the requirement. Since an IPv4 address is 32 bits long, subtracting the 6 bits used for the hosts from 32 bits leaves us with 26 bits for the network. Therefore, the CIDR notation for the subnet mask would be /26.