How many US are there in the US?

Answer 1

There are 49 states in the continental US, which includes the "lower 48" and Alaska, which are all part of the North American continent.

A separate designation is the contiguous US (joined together). This includes only the "lower 48" states, because Alaska is separated by British Columbia (Canada) and Hawaii by the Pacific Ocean.
There are forty-nine states in the Continental US: all but Hawaii.
There are 48 states in the contiguous United States, contiguous meaning "connected." Each of the "lower 48" states is connected to at least one other state.

Alaska, while also on the North American continent, is separated from the others by British Columbia (Canada). Hawaii is separated from the US mainland by the Pacific Ocean.