Total ways to choose 2 socks from 9:
\(\binom{9}{2} = 36\)
Ways to choose 2 brown socks:
\(\binom{5}{2} = 10\)
Ways to choose 2 white socks:
\(\binom{4}{2} = 6\)
Total favorable outcomes (same color):
\(10 + 6 = 16\)
Probability of same color socks:
\(\frac{16}{36} = \frac{4}{9}\)
The probability that the two socks are of the same color is \(\frac{4}{9}\).