Question

4. Two fair dice are rolled. Compute the probability that the number on the first is smaller than the number on the second

Answer 1

Here are two approaches:

a) Count up the possibilities. If the first die is 1, there are 5 greater numbers on the second: 1/6 * 5/6 = 5/36. If the first die is 2, there are 4: 1/6 * 4/6 = 4/36. Etc. The result:

5/36 + 4/ 36 + 3/36 + 2/36 + 1/36 = 15/36 = 5/12.

b) You can assume that, as long as the dice don't show matching numbers, there's an even chance that either the first or the second is greater. So the probability that the first is less is 1/2 the probability that the dice don't match.

There's a 1/6 chance that the dice do match. So the probability of non-matching is 5/6, and the probability that the first is less than the second is 5/12.