your sock drawer has 25 electric yellow socks, 30 blue striped socks, 17 orange socks, 13 magenta socks, 33 pale purple socks, 30 royal red socks, 11 gruesome green socks, 14 midnight black socks, and 23 bruin brown socks! if you reach into a drawer in the dark, how man socks do you need to pull out to be sure you have a matching pair?
this has to be done by the make it cimpler strategy
2007-02-03 04:26:06 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Alternative ➔ Other - Alternative
10. You have 9 different types of socks, if the first 9 times you pull out a sock they are all different, so the 10th sock will match 1 of the prervious 9. The numbers of each sock nor the color of the sock is important.
2007-02-03 04:31:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Since you did not indicate that all socks are separated I will assume you are slightly tidier than the bunch and hence you just need to pull out a matching pair. After washing people do order their clean clothes and in the case of socks they match them previously by connecting them in a different number of ways.
So the correct answer is a matching pair.
2007-02-03 06:01:49 · answer #2 · answered by San2 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First, wouldn't it be simpler to turn on the light if that's really the goal here?
All right, then. There are nine different types of socks in the drawer. If you draw out nine you just might have one of each type. But if you draw out ten socks unseen, you'll *have* to have a duplicate of at least one type.
That's about as simple as it can get.
2007-02-03 07:09:49 · answer #3 · answered by Richard B 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, all of those answers are wrong. This is a probability problem. I remember having this in math class, but don't remember how to solve it. First, this is all done in the dark, so you don't know each color as you pull each sock. Second, because there are different numbers of each type, you don't have the same probability of pulling one of each color. So, the answer is not 10. Will try to figure it out and get back. Good luck.
2007-02-03 04:46:08 · answer #4 · answered by august51944 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You got nine types of socks, right? Well, lets say you pull out one of every color. You've just pulled out nine. So then you need to pull out one more-no matter what color it is, you know you've got a match because you have one of everything in there.
i really hate to burst august's bubble, but he's the wrong answer, and everyone who said ten is right. it doesn't matter how many of each type of sock you have-you just need to pull out ten, and when you come out into the light you know you will have a pair. true, it is the most PROBABLE that your pair will be pale purple, since there is the most of those, but that is NOT what the problem is asking. and that's generally the best question to answer.
2007-02-03 04:34:37 · answer #5 · answered by Spearfish 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
assuming you don't care what color the matching socks are then the smallest number you can pull out and be certain of a match is 10. It is possible the first 9 would be one of each color so the 10th would match one of them.
2007-02-03 08:48:23 · answer #6 · answered by bill j 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You have 9 different colors, so if you pull put 10 socks, then at least 2 of them will match. . .
2007-02-03 04:35:16 · answer #7 · answered by Walking Man 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
someone should sock some sense into you ;^0
2007-02-03 06:10:42 · answer #8 · answered by Who Am I 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
write this
step 1 turn on the light
step 2 your done!
2007-02-03 04:29:47 · answer #9 · answered by Dyl P 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
ok- there's nine different kinds right??
If you pull out 10 you have to have 2 that match.....
So you have to pull out ten
2007-02-03 04:30:28 · answer #10 · answered by cheeso 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋