Shelby let her brother Losser borrow a deck of playing cards. When Losser returned them, he said, "I lost one card. It was either a red 8 or a black ace." What is the minimum number of cards Shelby must inspect to determine which card is missing? What is the maximum number?

Question

Shelby let her brother Losser borrow a deck of playing cards.  When Losser returned them, he said, "I lost one card.  It was either a red 8 or a black ace."  What is the minimum number of cards Shelby must inspect to determine which card is missing? What is the maximum number?

anonymous · Answer

I feel like this is tough to answer without the knowledge of how she is checking. One at a time or can she pick out all the red or black right away?