Number of Socks

Power cut is the worst nightmare to have when you are supposed to reach to your job early morning. When, there is still dark outside and you don't have any resources to help yourself be ready in the dark. This puzzle makes us remember, one such kind of incident, which may happen to any of us. One morning, you wake up to find out that power is out and you are supposed to reach office early in the morning. So, there is no other option but to dress up in the dark. Now, for clothes and all, you can choose with the help of feel. But, socks are all same in terms of material. You have to pick a pair of similar colour of socks for work. Now, you have eight black sock and twelve brown socks in your cupboard. And, as you are not one of the most orderly person on the mother Earth, all the socks are jumbled up. So, how many socks will you need to pick, so you can have at least one pair of socks of same colour.

The above question was quite easy one. You just have to give it a thought of a minute or two, and you will be able to reach to the answer. But, continuing with the same thought process, I ask you one more question:

There are 12 black, 14 brown, 16 white, 10 green and 18 purple socks in your cupboard. How many minimum socks you have to take out, so that you can have at least one pair of same coloured socks.

This question also seems easy. So, now, third question has same number of socks as above mentioned. Now, you are supposed to take two pairs of socks(one for you and one for your colleague) Now how many minimum number of socks, you need to take out so that you can have two pairs of socks.(Each pair of two with the same colour, both these pairs can have different colours.)

Now, come to the last question of this kind of puzzle. Think that you have to take two pairs of the socks of the same colour. (ie, both pairs of white socks, or both pairs of brown socks) Now, number of socks available is same as above. (14 brown, 12 black, 16 white, 10 green, 18 purple). So, what is the number of socks required to pull out, to get these two pairs of same coloured socks.