document.write( "Question 1099269: Jim has many socks, all the same except that they are in eight different colours. He is leaving to catch an early train to go on a business trip, and does not want to wake his wife, so he must pack in the dark. He needs five pairs of socks, each sock in each pair the same colour. How many socks must he take from his drawer to be sure of achieving this? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #713733 by greenestamps(13203)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

The problem is to pick socks so that you know for sure that you have 5 pairs.

\n" ); document.write( "To answer a question like that, you need to use the \"worst case\" scenario. The worst thing that can happen is that the first 8 socks are all different colors. In that case the next 5 picks will create 5 pairs.

\n" ); document.write( "So the number of socks he needs to pull out of the drawer to guarantee having 5 pairs is 13.
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