The Student Room Group
Reply 1
hmm.

4 =

1+1+1+1
1+1+2
1+2+1
2+1+1
2+2
1+3
3+1

look for the ones that have (i+1) terms, where i is the first number...

they are 1+3, 2+1+1

prob = ((1/21)(1/6) + (2/21)(1/6))/1 = 1/42

?

(2/21)(1/6) = 1/63

?

the probability i am wrong is somewhat larger than these answers...
Reply 2
(a)
chewwy's approach is right. I'll fill in the details.

i = 1 (probability 1/21)
One way of getting 4 (probability = 1/6).

i = 2 (probability 2/21)
Three ways of getting 4: 1 + 3, 2 + 2, 3 + 1 (probability = 3/36).

i = 3 (probability 3/21)
Three ways of getting 4: 2 + 1 + 1, 1 + 2 + 1, 1 + 1 + 2 (probability = 3/6^3).

i = 4 (probability 4/21)
One way of getting 4: 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 (probability = 1/6^4).

i >= 5
Impossible to get 4.

Answer
= (1/21)(1/6) + (2/21)(3/36) + (3/21)(3/6^3) + (4/21)(1/6^4)
= 35/1944

(b)
P(2 fair dice thrown, score is 4) / P(score is 4)
(2/21)(3/36) / (35/1944)
= 108/245
Reply 3
ah, the sum is only of the fair dice! i should read questions in the future...
Reply 4
Jonny W
(a)
chewwy's approach is right. I'll fill in the details.

i = 1 (probability 1/21)
One way of getting 4 (probability = 1/6).

i = 2 (probability 2/21)
Three ways of getting 4: 1 + 3, 2 + 2, 3 + 1 (probability = 3/36).

i = 3 (probability 3/21)
Three ways of getting 4: 2 + 1 + 1, 1 + 2 + 1, 1 + 1 + 2 (probability = 3/6^3).

i = 4 (probability 4/21)
One way of getting 4: 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 (probability = 1/6^4).

i >= 5
Impossible to get 4.

Answer
= (1/21)(1/6) + (2/21)(3/36) + (3/21)(3/6^3) + (4/21)(1/6^4)
= 35/1944

(b)
P(2 fair dice thrown, score is 4) / P(score is 4)
(2/21)(3/36) / (35/1944)
= 108/245
i = 3 (probability 3/21)
Three ways of getting 4: 2 + 1 + 1, 1 + 2 + 1, 1 + 1 + 2 (probability = 3/6^3).
Should there be 6 ways of getting 4?
2+1a+1b, 1a+2+1b,1a+1b+2
2+1b+1a, 1b+2 +1a,1b+1a+2
Reply 5
superkillball
i = 3 (probability 3/21)
Three ways of getting 4: 2 + 1 + 1, 1 + 2 + 1, 1 + 1 + 2 (probability = 3/6^3).
Should there be 6 ways of getting 4?
2+1a+1b, 1a+2+1b,1a+1b+2
2+1b+1a, 1b+2 +1a,1b+1a+2

If you applied your method to a score of 3, you would find 6 ways

1a + 1b + 1c
1a + 1c + 1b
etc

and so would say that the probability is 6/6^3. But that's wrong. The answer is 1/6^3.

--

The outcome of the three tosses can be represented as an ordered triple

(A, B, C)

where A is the score on dice 1, B is the score on dice 2 and C is the score on dice 3.

There are 6^3 possible outcomes. Of these, 3 give a score of 4:

(2, 1, 1)
(1, 2, 1)
(1, 1, 2)

Probability = 3/6^3.

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