Question

A drawer contains 60 pairs of socks. Each pair is one of four colors. What is the minimum number of socks that must be drawn, at random, from the drawer to ensure that a pair of matching-color socks is selected?

Answer 1

5

Explanation:

Hello,

Assuming we the colours of the socks are blue, red, green and black.

Since we have different colours of socks in the drawer, there's every chance of pulling out a different colour each time you pick out a sock, this pattern repeats itself until the 5th socks where there's a guarantee of getting a matched colour.

The minimum number of socks that must be drawn at random to have a matching pair of socks is 5.

NB: this question isn't a probability question since probability deals with expected values, variance etc.