Final answer:
Cells are counted with a hemocytometer using light microscopes that magnify up to 400 times, allowing for clear viewing and counting of individual cells.
Step-by-step explanation:
When counting cells with a hemocytometer, typically, light microscopes in a college biology laboratory setting are used, which can magnify cells up to approximately 400 times. This level of magnification facilitates the viewing of individual cells, such as red blood cells, which are about eight micrometers in diameter. Since the density of the cells can make individual cells difficult to distinguish at lower magnifications, the higher power allows for clearer counting of the cells in the etched squares of the hemocytometer.