[Aptitude] Probability : Two Dice problems Sums and multiples

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Case: Tickets and multiples Case: Dice sum Case: Dice even product Approach #1: Indirect Probability Approach #2 Direct probability Previous Articles on Aptitude

Case: Tickets and multiples

Tickets numbered 1 to 20 are mixed up and then a ticket is drawn at random. What is the probability that the ticket drawn has a number which is a multiple of 3 or 5? Within 1 to 20, there are 6 multiple of 3 (3, 6,9,12,15,18) Within 1 to 20, there are 4 multiples of 5 (5,10,15,20) But since 15 comes in both tables (3 and 5), it has to be counted only once. So actual desired numbers are nine: 3,5,6,9,10,12,15,18,20 Probability= desired result / total results =9C1/ 20C1 =9/20

Case: Dice sum

What is the probability of getting a sum 9 from two throws of a dice? Four solutions can give us the sum of 9.

3+6 4+5 5+4 6+3

Desired results = 4 Total possible results= 6 x 6 =36 (fundamental counting principle, when two dice are thrown)

Probability
= desired /total =4c1 / 36c1

=4/36 =1/9

Case: Dice even product

Two dice are thrown simultaneously. What is the probability of getting two numbers whose product is even?

Approach #1: Indirect Probability

What happens when we multiply numbers?
Even x Odd= Even (23=6) Even x Even = Even (2x 4=8) Odd x Odd = odd (3 x 5=15) So instead of worrying about cases involving even numbers, focus on odd numbers. Because itll be quicker. Probability of getting even product = 1 minus probability of getting odd product.eq(1) A dice has 6 numbers on it : 1,2,3,4,5,6 You toss it once, and one number will appear. Total results = 6C1= 6 ways. Desired result: We want odd-numbers. A dice has three odd numbers: 1,3,5 How many ways can one odd number appear out of the given three? 3C1=3 Probability of one dice showing odd number =Desired result / Total results = 3C1/6C1 =3/6 =1/2 Now,

Probability of getting odd product.

= probability of both dice showing odd numbers = first dice shows odd number (AND) second dice also shows odd number =1/2 x 1/2 ; AND means multiplication =1/4.

Back to our eq(1) Probability of getting even product = 1 minus probability of getting odd product = 1 minus Final answer=3/4

Approach #2 Direct probability

Direct Probability of getting even product = [First dice show even AND second odd] OR [1st shows odd AND 2nd dice shows even] OR [Both dice show EVEN number] AND means multiplication and OR means addition. =(1/2)*(1/2)+(1/2)*(1/2)+(1/2)*(1/2) ; Confused? Read Dice problem in first article of probability. Final answer=3/4