Red Socks

Red Socks

The previous article concluded with the setting of a probability problem for the group. The challenge for them was to work out the probability of picking a matching pair of socks if two socks were picked from a bag containing two red socks and two green socks. The person doing the picking can't see the socks, either because it's a perfect peep-proof bag or because they're blindfolded, a situation which mimics the problem that a blind person may face if getting dressed unaided.

In this practical exercise, kids work out the probability of choosing a pair of socks of matching colour if they can't see the socks from which they have to choose. It mimics a real life problem that many blind people experience when getting dressed. Get one pair of red socks and one of green, separate them so there are four individual socks and put them in a bag. Next, get the kids to work out the probability that two socks drawn from the bag at random will make a matching pair.

Red Socks