Question

If Albert Enstein has 53 socks in his drawer: 21 identical blue, 15 identical black and 17 identical red. The lights are out and he is completely in the dark. How many socks must he take out to make 100 percent certain he has at least one pair of black socks?

Answer 1

To be 100% certain he has at least one pair of black socks, Albert needs to take out a maximum of 36 socks.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this scenario, Albert Einstein wants to make sure he has at least one pair of black socks. The lights are out, so he cannot see the colors of the socks. To be 100% certain he has at least one pair of black socks, Albert needs to take out a maximum of 36 socks.

Here's how we can calculate this:

1. First, assume the worst-case scenario. Remove all the blue and red socks from the drawer, leaving only the black socks. This will require removing 21 blue socks and 17 red socks, totaling 38 socks.
2. Next, add a pair of black socks to the 38 socks already removed. This will guarantee that Albert has at least one pair of black socks.

So, Albert needs to take out a maximum of 36 socks to be 100% certain he has at least one pair of black socks.