A cloth bag holds 4 crimson marbles, 4 navy marbles, and 4 emerald marbles. Reaching in without looking, what is the minimum number of marbles you must pull out to guarantee at least two of the same color?
4
By the Pigeonhole Principle, since there are 3 distinct colors, drawing 3 marbles could yield one of each color in the worst case. Drawing a 4th marble guarantees at least one 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: Easy. More like this: Math riddles with answers or try Target 24 for a different kind of puzzle.
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