How many pairs of floating ribs are there in the human body?

In the human body, there are two pairs of floating ribs, making a total of four individual floating ribs. Floating ribs are defined as the eleventh and twelfth pairs of ribs. Unlike the true ribs, which attach directly to the sternum via costal cartilage, and the false ribs, which connect indirectly, floating ribs are unique because they do not have any anterior attachment to the sternum or to the costal cartilage of other ribs. Instead, they are only attached to the vertebrae at the back. This anatomical characteristic allows for an increased range of movement in the abdominal area while providing some protection to the organs located in that region. Thus, two pairs, or four floating ribs in total, contribute to this unique structural aspect.