well... If you have 6 black socks, 4 blue socks, 8 brown socks, and 2 red socks in your sock drawer, what is the minimum number of socks that you need to pull out in the dark to be sure you had a matching pair?

Question

directrix · Answer

@stgreen   You might pull out two socks and get lucky and have a matching pair. But, you are not guaranteed a matching pair.

Suppose you pull out 1 Black sock, then 1 Blue, then 1 Brown, and then 1 Red so that all 4 socks do not form a matching pair. [Note: the order of colors does not matter here; it is the color of the socks with which we are concerned.]

When you draw out the next sock (5th) sock, would it have to match one of the previous colors to form a pair of matching socks?

directrix · Answer

So, what is the answer to the question - what is the minimum number?

directrix · Answer

I agree.