Guest Posted June 18, 2007 Report Share Posted June 18, 2007 You have a drawer where you mixed 5 black socks and 5 white socks. You are in the dark and you need to make a pair of the same color to wear. What is the minimum number of socks you need to take out in order to make a pair? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 The answer is 2 if you don't need the pair to match (it just says a pair). Or 6 if you need to assure a matching pair. The answer to the subsequent post about probability on the nth draw of having a pair is integral approaching 100%. In other words as the number of draws in creases the chances of getting the pair increases. The formula is 2n/9 I got that because your first draw is always 1/2 and any subsequent draw has a probability of 4/9's for the black sock. the answer is 1/2*4/9 times the summation of 4^n/9^n where n goes from 2 to infinity. If I could make the math chars here I would have... properly reduced that equals 2/9 + E4^n/9^n again where n starts at 2 and goes to infinity... E = sigma. I am pretty sure thats right my last calc course a few years ago but that should do it. I use the summation because the probabilities of each draw must add together to get the total probability at infinity draws it equals 100% or 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 The question, as stated by another poster, does NOT say to 'guarantee' you have a pair...read again....therefore the minimum MAY be 2 if you happen to choose two of the same color in draws 1 and 2....and thus 3 draws to GUARANTEE a matching pair of either color Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 2 socks they are all black in the dark.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 2 obviously but 3 for a pair and 6 for a black/white pair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 2, for a pair = 2. OBVIOUSNESS!!!! The End. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 In a pair, there are two socks. So, the minimum # of socks you have take out is 2, that could give you two matching. The maximum is 3, because if after the first 2 draws, you get two different ones, than you can just draw one more to match with one of the 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 The minimum number of socks you need to take out in order to make a pair is 2. You just need to be able to feel the differences between them. When one of your senses is disabled you adapt, each brand of sock is going to have its own unique texture, so it is possible to reach in and come up with the matching pair on your first try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 (edited) The answer is 2 if you don't need the pair to match (it just says a pair). Or 6 if you need to assure a matching pair. Not quite. You need 7 socks to guarantee a black pair. This is assuming that you don't put a sock back when it is white. If you do put a sock back if it is white, then you will need an infinite number of draws to guarantee a black pair. Plus, it clearly says a pair of the same color. Edited March 31, 2008 by Noct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 Here is how I see it. The minumum number is two. Of course, you have to be lucky to get either 2 white or two black socks but whichever you are going for, the minimum you could do in is two - if you are lucky. Now if you are unlucky and you were going for either a pair of white or black socks, you could try 5 times and not get it since all five could be the wrong color. That means the maximum number that you would have to pull is six to get a pair of a particular color - if you are unlucky. It seems to me that anything inbetween is purely conjecture. Is anything wrong with this logic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 Here is how I see it. The minumum number is two. Of course, you have to be lucky to get either 2 white or two black socks but whichever you are going for, the minimum you could do in is two - if you are lucky. Now if you are unlucky and you were going for either a pair of white or black socks, you could try 5 times and not get it since all five could be the wrong color. That means the maximum number that you would have to pull is six to get a pair of a particular color - if you are unlucky. It seems to me that anything inbetween is purely conjecture. Is anything wrong with this logic? You stated that I could be extremely unlucky and pull out 5 black ones in a row. Then say that the maximum needed is 6 to get a pair of a specific color. So if I want to get a pair of white socks. I'm extremely unlucky and pull out 5 black socks in a row. And then I pull out a white sock. So I've pulled out 6 socks, but still don't have a white pair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 You stated that I could be extremely unlucky and pull out 5 black ones in a row. Then say that the maximum needed is 6 to get a pair of a specific color. So if I want to get a pair of white socks. I'm extremely unlucky and pull out 5 black socks in a row. And then I pull out a white sock. So I've pulled out 6 socks, but still don't have a white pair. That is correct, I agree. If you are extremely unlucky it you might have to pull a sock 7 times to get a pair of the color you want. Actually, if had to do it I would just grab as many as I could, probably all of them, select the desired pair and return the rest to their place in the dark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted April 21, 2008 Report Share Posted April 21, 2008 You have a drawer where you mixed 5 black socks and 5 white socks. You are in the dark and you need to make a pair of the same color to wear. What is the minimum number of socks you need to take out in order to make a pair? The answer to this question is NOT 3, it's 2. 3 is the minimum number to GUARANTEE two socks of the same color. But the minimum number to make a pair is always 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 You have a drawer where you mixed 5 black socks and 5 white socks. You are in the dark and you need to make a pair of the same color to wear. What is the minimum number of socks you need to take out in order to make a pair? Actually if you want to get technical and most people on here do. The correct answer would be simply 2. The question asks what is the minimum number of socks needed to make a pair. It does not specify that they need to be like colors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Actually if you want to get technical and most people on here do. The correct answer would be simply 2. The question asks what is the minimum number of socks needed to make a pair. It does not specify that they need to be like colors the very first post states "You are in the dark and you need to make a pair of the same color to wear" why do people keep saying that the original post doesnt say that the colors must match, clearly......IT DOES. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 You have a drawer where you mixed 5 black socks and 5 white socks. You are in the dark and you need to make a pair of the same color to wear. What is the minimum number of socks you need to take out in order to make a pair? the answer is 2. there is no other possible answer. you might get lucky and the first 2 you pull out will match in color. therefore the "minimun" is set at 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Lol, its too, if you're lucky. That was easy. However some people don't pay attention and don't get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted May 21, 2008 Report Share Posted May 21, 2008 The answer is two. You did not say a matching pair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 8, 2008 Report Share Posted June 8, 2008 I have several answers. Answer #1: Since the question doesn't state minimum number required to guarantee a pair, the answer is Two. You could get lucky and draw a match with the first two. Answer #2: If you want to guarantee a pair of socks, the answer is Three. Answer #3: If you want to guarantee a specific color of socks, the answer is Seven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 You have a drawer where you mixed 5 black socks and 5 white socks. You are in the dark and you need to make a pair of the same color to wear. What is the minimum number of socks you need to take out in order to make a pair? you have to take 3 for maiking a pair and 7 to make a color you wish (for 100% probability) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 y cant people just organize there socks?!?!?!?!?!??!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 3 ? thank you thats the exact answer i was thinking i have no idea where these guys are getting 7??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 You have a drawer where you mixed 5 black socks and 5 white socks. You are in the dark and you need to make a pair of the same color to wear. What is the minimum number of socks you need to take out in order to make a pair? I hate to be a party pooper or to be accused of pedanticism, but: The MINIMUM number of socks needed to make a pair is 2. Admittedly the probability of drawing a matched pair is not 100%, but that was not part of the stated problem. To GUARANTEE a matched pair, the answer 3 is correct. The proper wording might be reworded to "What is the minimum number of socks you need to draw to make sure you have a pair of matched socks." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 asdfghjkl127 Posted March 12, 2020 Report Share Posted March 12, 2020 The correct answer is to just wear sandals. Then die because you realize you accidentally put on mismatching socks before you put the sandals on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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You have a drawer where you mixed 5 black socks and 5 white socks. You are in the dark and you need to make a pair of the same color to wear. What is the minimum number of socks you need to take out in order to make a pair?
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