Converting offset notation to pointer arithmetic

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C++14

So I am attempting to complete an assignment using 2d pointer arrays. I was going through the process when I realized that was one of the requirements was that I was supposed to use pointer arithmetic, but instead I have been using offset notation. So my question for you guys is what is the best method of converting my offset notation into pointer arithmetic without completely rewriting the program??? Also when transversing through my 2d array what parameters do I call for my outofbounds function in order for it to properly work? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and thank you in advance.

//move through string by parsing  to insert each char into array element position

void rules(char** boardArr,int  &rows, fstream inFile, string &line, int &cols)
{
    char* pos;
    char ncount;
    for(int i = 0; i < rows; i++) //rows
    {
        getline(inFile, line);

        for(int j = 0; j < cols; j++) //cols
        {
            *(*(boardArr + i )+ j) == pos;//parsing string into bArr

            //neighbor check nested for organism
            pos  = *(*(boardArr + i)+ j);//position of index within
            if(*(*(boardArr + i+1)+ j)=='*')//checking pos to the right of pos index
            {
                //outofbounds()
                ncount++;
            }
            if(*(*(boardArr + i-1)+ j)=='*')//checking pos to the left of pos index
            {
                //outofbounds()
                ncount++;
            }
            if(*(*(boardArr + i)+ j+1)=='*')//checking pos to the above of pos index
            {
                //outofbounds()
                ncount++;
            }
            if(*(*(boardArr + i+1)+ j+1)=='*')//checking pos to the above and to the right of pos index
            {
                //outofbounds()
                ncount++;
            }
            if(*(*(boardArr + i-1)+ j+1)=='*')//checking pos above and to the  left of pos index
            {
                //outofbounds()
                ncount++;
            }
            if(*(*(boardArr + i-1)+ j-1)=='*')//checking pos below and to the left of pos index
            {
                //outofbounds()
                ncount++;
            }
            if(*(*(boardArr + i-1)+ j)=='*')//checking pos below of pos index
            {
                //outofbounds()
                ncount++;
            }
            if(*(*(boardArr + i-1)+ j+1)=='*')//checking pos below and to the right of pos index
            {
                //outofbounds()
                ncount++;
            }
            //row[i, row[i]-1])
            //cout<<*(*(boardArr + i)+ j);//assigning position to check for neighbors

        }



    }

//how to move through 2d array pointer arithmetic style

//boardArr[rows][cols] == *(*(boardArr + rows)+ cols)

//keep relationship between the numbers
//*(())
//If a cell contains an organism and has fewer than 2 neighbors, the organism dies of loneliness.
//A neighbor is an organism in one of the 8 spots (or fewer if on the edge) around a cell
//If a cell contains an organism and has more than 3 neighbors, it dies from overcrowding.
// If an empty location has exactly three neighbors, an organism is born in that location.
//returns nothing
}
bool  outofbounds( int &rows, int &cols, int i, int j)
{
    if((i >0 && i< rows)  && (j < cols && j > 0))
    {
        return true;
    }
    else
        return false;
}

What I have tried:

Googling proper documentation of pointers
Contemplated starting over.