Generalized Pigeonhole Principle — Basic Applications

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| Attempts: 12 | Questions: 10 | Updated: Jan 20, 2026
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1) How many people must be in a room to guarantee at least 9 share a birthday month?

Explanation

n=12(9−1)+1=97n = 12(9−1)+1 = 97n=12(9−1)+1=97

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About This Quiz
Generalized Pigeonhole Principle  Basic Applications - Quiz

The pigeonhole principle is simple yet powerful. In this quiz, you’ll practice its generalized form in straightforward problems, building an intuition for how it applies to counting. Try this quiz to uncover hidden patterns in sets and groups.

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2) If 25 objects are placed into 6 boxes, what is the minimum number of objects guaranteed in one box?

Explanation

⌈25/6⌉=⌈4.166...⌉=5\lceil 25/6 \rceil = \lceil 4.166...\rceil = 5⌈25/6⌉=⌈4.166...⌉=5

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3) If 50 pencils are distributed among 8 drawers, what is the least number guaranteed in one drawer?

Explanation

⌈50/8⌉=⌈6.25⌉=7\lceil 50/8 \rceil = \lceil 6.25 \rceil = 7⌈50/8⌉=⌈6.25⌉=7

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4) If 100 marbles are placed into 9 jars, the minimum number in one jar is

Explanation

⌈100/9⌉=⌈11.11...⌉=12\lceil 100/9 \rceil = \lceil 11.11... \rceil = 12⌈100/9⌉=⌈11.11...⌉=12

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5) If 90 papers are placed in 11 folders, minimum in one folder is

Explanation

⌈90/11⌉=⌈8.18...⌉=9\lceil 90/11 \rceil = \lceil 8.18...\rceil = 9⌈90/11⌉=⌈8.18...⌉=9

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6) For 37 objects and 5 boxes, what’s the minimum guaranteed in one box?

Explanation

⌈37/5⌉=⌈7.4⌉=8\lceil 37/5 \rceil = \lceil 7.4 \rceil = 8⌈37/5⌉=⌈7.4⌉=8

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7) What is the minimum number of students needed to guarantee at least 5 students are in the same group, if there are 7 groups?

Explanation

We need nnn such that ⌈n/7⌉=5\lceil n/7 \rceil = 5⌈n/7⌉=5 → n=7×(5−1)+1=29n = 7×(5−1)+1 = 29n=7×(5−1)+1=29

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8) How many socks must you pick from a drawer containing 4 colors to guarantee at least 6 of the same color?

Explanation

Use n=k(m−1)+1=4(6−1)+1=21n = k(m-1)+1 = 4(6−1)+1 = 21n=k(m−1)+1=4(6−1)+1=21

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9) 73 balls are distributed among 12 bins. Minimum balls in one bin?

Explanation

⌈73/12⌉=⌈6.08...⌉=7\lceil 73/12 \rceil = \lceil 6.08... \rceil = 7⌈73/12⌉=⌈6.08...⌉=7

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10) For 15 objects and 4 boxes, what is the minimum number guaranteed in one box?

Explanation

⌈15/4⌉=4\lceil 15/4 \rceil = 4⌈15/4⌉=4

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Cierra Henderson |MBA |
K-12 Expert
Cierra is an educational consultant and curriculum developer who has worked with students in K-12 for a variety of subjects including English and Math as well as test prep. She specializes in one-on-one support for students especially those with learning differences. She holds an MBA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a certificate in educational consulting from UC Irvine.
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How many people must be in a room to guarantee at least 9 share a...
If 25 objects are placed into 6 boxes, what is the minimum number of...
If 50 pencils are distributed among 8 drawers, what is the least...
If 100 marbles are placed into 9 jars, the minimum number in one jar...
If 90 papers are placed in 11 folders, minimum in one folder is
For 37 objects and 5 boxes, what’s the minimum guaranteed in one...
What is the minimum number of students needed to guarantee at least 5...
How many socks must you pick from a drawer containing 4 colors to...
73 balls are distributed among 12 bins. Minimum balls in one bin?
For 15 objects and 4 boxes, what is the minimum number guaranteed in...
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