Take Three from Five

Stage: 3 Challenge Level: Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3 Challenge Level:3

Think of a simpler problem:
If you choose $2$ from $3$ numbers you can always select $2$ numbers that add up to an even number. Why?

You either have multiples of $3$ or you have...?

$3x$
$3x + 1$
$3x+ 2 \dots$

Published October 2003.