You have 12 black socks and 12 white socks in your drawer. What is the minimum number of socks that you have to take out to make sure that you have a matching pair?
Common Wrong Answers
“2”
Taking out only 2 socks could result in one black sock and one white sock, which would not guarantee a matching pair.
“1”
If you only take out 1 sock, you cannot have a pair at all, as a pair requires at least 2 socks.
“4”
While taking out 4 socks guarantees a matching pair, it is not the minimum required number; only 3 socks are necessary to ensure at least one matching pair.
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