Sox Unseen

Probability Level 1

Sam has 6 pairs of blue socks and 6 pairs of white socks. He has to grab some socks to put on, however he does not know which colour is which since the lights are turned off. (For some reason, his mother insists his socks have to match colours!) Find the number of socks Sam has to grab to have a 100 percent chance of getting matching colours.

In this question, there is no difference between a "left sock" and a "right sock". Either will fit on your leg.


The answer is 3.

Bj Prognome by bj prognome , 46, USA

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2 solutions

Ashwin Upadhyay
Aug 6, 2014

if he picks up 3 socks he will pick a pair of either of the 2 colors blue or white .....

1 Helpful 0 Interesting 0 Brilliant 0 Confused

The first two socks that he grabs is either blue or white, on the the third grab, it is 100% that he gets a pair of blue or a pair of white.

0 Helpful 0 Interesting 0 Brilliant 0 Confused

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