Subject: I do not understand this questions, I think that it is either 3 or 10, I do not understand this.

There are 10 red socks and 10 blue socks in a drawer. Aside from their color the are identical. All of the socks in the drawer are mixed up. If the room was pitch black, How many socks would you need to pull out of the drawer to be certain that you have a pair that matches? Why?

My name is Luther Jackson,
this question is either Pre-Algebra or Algebra,
My son asked me this question. He is 19 yrs old.

Clearly two is not enough, as you could select one red and one blue and not have a pair. However, three is sufficient since with three you must have at least two of the same colour.

This problem usually has a second part. Suppose that you have 10 identical pairs of gloves in the drawer. How many gloves would you need to pull out of the drawer to be certain that you have a pair?