Maths Week: The answer to Wednesday's puzzle

Did you get it?

THIS IS THE answer to yesterday’s game of chance puzzle.

The question:

1. What are the chances of getting a six with one throw of a die?

2. What are the chances of getting a double six in one throw of two dice?

3. You and a friend are playing a game with two dice. Your friend throws the dice and covers them before you can see them. She then reveals one die to be a six. What’s the probability that the other one is also a six?

Answers and methods:

(a) 1 in 6

(b) 1 in 36

Although the chances of throwing a double six is 1 in 36, in the third case the possibilities are reduced to only cases with at least 1 six. There are only 11 such possibilities and only one of those is a double six.

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Sinead O'Carroll

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