A box contains 12 red socks, 12 blue socks, and 12 green socks. What is the minimum number of socks you must pull out in the dark to guarantee you have at least one matching pair of any color?
4
By the Pigeonhole Principle, if you draw 4 socks, there are only 3 possible colors. Therefore, at least two of the socks must share the same color, giving you a matching pair.
About this riddle
Math riddles hide a calculation inside a short story. Pull out the numbers, work out what is being asked, and watch for a trick such as a unit change.
Difficulty: Medium. More like this: Math riddles with answers or try Target 24 for a different kind of puzzle.
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