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The Probabilities of Dice 351 Views

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Description:

ACT Math: Pre-Algebra: Drill 6, Problem 3. What is the probability of rolling two dice and getting a one on each?

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Transcript

00:03
Here's an unshmoopy question you may find on an exam somewhere in life...
00:06
What is the probability of rolling two dice and getting a one on each?
00:11
And here are the potential answers...
00:17
OK, so what is this question asking?
00:18
It's all about odds.

00:20
So we are in Vegas, baby and we're rollin' for mama's new pair of shoes.
00:25
The key issue here that often eludes people is that the dice rolls are independent events.
00:31
That is, we could roll a 4 eight times in a row and our odds of rolling a 4 on the NEXT
00:36
roll are... still 1 in 6.
00:37
So in this case, the odds of a 1 are 1 in 6; then on the second roll, the odds are still
00:44
a 1 in 6.
00:46
When we have successive independent events, we just multiply them.
00:51
So we multiply 1 sixth times 1 sixth and get 1 thirty-sixth -- that's the odds of a
00:56
1 and a 1 on consecutive rolls.
00:59
Our answer is E.
01:01
As in, "Eye in the sky."
Full Transcript