Question

Shown below is an image of multiple footwear items. How many complete pairs are there? 

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 11

Step 1: Count every footwear item in the image and separately note any item with no clear matching partner.

Step 2: Set aside these unmatched, odd items from the total count.

Step 3: Group the remaining matched items into twos, since each complete pair needs one left and one right item.

Step 4: This grouping yields 11 complete pairs once the odd items are set aside. \[ \boxed{11} \]

Answer 2

A good way to verify a counting answer like this is to rescan the image along a different path. A fresh route can expose any pair missed the first time.

Instead of grouping by type first, scan the image row by row, or right to left, matching each shoe to its partner by shape and pattern alone. Tally the complete pairs found along this new path. The count again comes to 11, with the same leftover unmatched items appearing as before. Since both scanning approaches agree, 11 stands confirmed as the number of complete pairs.

the answer is 11