Difference between revisions of "2008 AMC 10B Problems/Problem 20"

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<math>\mathrm{(A)}\ 5/18\qquad\mathrm{(B)}\ 7/18\qquad\mathrm{(C)}\ 11/18\qquad\mathrm{(D)}\ 3/4\qquad\mathrm{(E)}\ 8/9</math>
 
<math>\mathrm{(A)}\ 5/18\qquad\mathrm{(B)}\ 7/18\qquad\mathrm{(C)}\ 11/18\qquad\mathrm{(D)}\ 3/4\qquad\mathrm{(E)}\ 8/9</math>
  
==Solution==
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==Solution 1==
  
 
The easiest way is to write a table of all <math>36</math> possible outcomes, do the sums, and count good outcomes.
 
The easiest way is to write a table of all <math>36</math> possible outcomes, do the sums, and count good outcomes.
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<math>\frac{4+6+4}{36}=\frac{14}{36}=\boxed{\frac{7}{18}}</math>.
 
<math>\frac{4+6+4}{36}=\frac{14}{36}=\boxed{\frac{7}{18}}</math>.
  
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==Solution 2==
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Each die is equally likely to roll odd or even, so the probability of an odd sum is <math>\frac{1}{2}</math>.
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So we can find the probability of rolling <math>3</math> or <math>11</math> instead and just subtract that from <math>\frac{1}{2}</math>, which seems easier. Without writing out a table, we can see that there are two ways to make <math>3</math>, and two ways to make <math>11</math>, for a probability of <math>\frac{4}{36}</math>.
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<math>\frac{1}{2}-\frac{4}{36}=\frac{14}{36}=\boxed{\frac{7}{18}}</math>.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
 
{{AMC10 box|year=2008|ab=B|num-b=19|num-a=21}}
 
{{AMC10 box|year=2008|ab=B|num-b=19|num-a=21}}
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{{MAA Notice}}

Revision as of 16:46, 15 February 2021

Problem

The faces of a cubical die are marked with the numbers $1$, $2$, $2$, $3$, $3$, and $4$. The faces of another die are marked with the numbers $1$, $3$, $4$, $5$, $6$, and $8$. What is the probability that the sum of the top two numbers will be $5$, $7$, or $9$?

$\mathrm{(A)}\ 5/18\qquad\mathrm{(B)}\ 7/18\qquad\mathrm{(C)}\ 11/18\qquad\mathrm{(D)}\ 3/4\qquad\mathrm{(E)}\ 8/9$

Solution 1

The easiest way is to write a table of all $36$ possible outcomes, do the sums, and count good outcomes.

     1  3  4  5  6  8
   ------------------
1 |  2  4  5  6  7  9
2 |  3  5  6  7  8 10
2 |  3  5  6  7  8 10
3 |  4  6  7  8  9 11
3 |  4  6  7  8  9 11
4 |  5  7  8  9 10 12

We see that out of $36$ possible outcomes $4$ give the sum of $5$, $6$ the sum of $7$, and $4$ the sum of $9$, hence the resulting probability is $\frac{4+6+4}{36}=\frac{14}{36}=\boxed{\frac{7}{18}}$.

Solution 2

Each die is equally likely to roll odd or even, so the probability of an odd sum is $\frac{1}{2}$.

So we can find the probability of rolling $3$ or $11$ instead and just subtract that from $\frac{1}{2}$, which seems easier. Without writing out a table, we can see that there are two ways to make $3$, and two ways to make $11$, for a probability of $\frac{4}{36}$.

$\frac{1}{2}-\frac{4}{36}=\frac{14}{36}=\boxed{\frac{7}{18}}$.

See also

2008 AMC 10B (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 19
Followed by
Problem 21
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
All AMC 10 Problems and Solutions

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