Are these two dice rolls dependent or independent?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the independence of two events related to rolling two dice. Event A is defined as the first roll yielding a 2 or 5, while Event B is the sum of the two rolls being at least 7. Participants are examining the probabilities associated with these events to determine their independence.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are calculating probabilities for Events A and B and questioning the correctness of these calculations. There is a focus on whether the outcome of the first roll influences the second roll's outcome. Some participants are exploring the formal definition of independence in probability.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants providing different calculations for the probabilities and questioning the assumptions made about the events. There is no explicit consensus on the independence of the events, as some participants suggest that the events may be dependent based on their reasoning.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of standard probability rules for rolling dice, and there is a mention of a textbook stating that the events are independent, which some participants are challenging based on their calculations.

Addez123
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Summary:: Roll a dice twice.

Event A: First dice roll yield 2 or 5.
Event B: Sum of the two results are atleast 7

Is A and B independent?

If they are independent then
$$P(A \cap B) = P(A) * P(B)$$

P(A) = 2/6 = 1/3
P(B) = 1 - 9/36 = 27/36
$$P(A \cap B) = 7/36 \neq P(A)*P(B) = 1/4$$Yet book says they are independent.
 
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I'm not sure about your ##P(B)##.

##P(B)## should just be a case of counting the number of outcomes that sum to greater or equal than 7, out of the possible 36 outcomes.
 
Addez123 said:
P(B) = 1 - 9/36 = 27/36
Yet book says they are independent.
That P(B) is definitely not right.

One way to think about independence is whether the first event influences the second. In this case it appears that the probability of the second event depends on the first. But, does it? These two events look like they should be dependent, but are they really?

If you had to bet at the start on getting a total of ##7## or more, what would the probability be? And, if you were told that the first die was either a 2 or a 5, what would the revised probability be?

To put this formally, two events are independent if:
$$P(B|A) = P(B)$$
This says that ##B## is just as likely whether or not ##A## happens. Hence, alternatively:
$$P(A \cap B) = P(A)P(B|A) = P(A)P(B)$$
 
Last edited:
Hm, yea I calculated it to be 9 cases but there are 12 giving an outcome below 7.
P(B) =
1,5
1,4
1,3
1,2
1,1
2,1
2,2
2,3
2,4
3,1
3,2
3,3

P(B) = 1 - 12/36 = 24/36 = 2/3
P(A) * P(B) = 2/9

P(A & B) =
2,5
2,6
5,2
5,3
5,4
5,5
5,6
= 7/36

Would any of these have one less or one more combination then P(A&B) = P(A)P(B)
But as it is, there isnt.
 
Addez123 said:
Hm, yea I calculated it to be 9 cases but there are 12 giving an outcome below 7.
P(B) =
1,5
1,4
1,3
1,2
1,1
2,1
2,2
2,3
2,4
3,1
3,2
3,3

You forgot:

4,1
4,2
5,1
 
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P(B)=21/36

I get that they are independent also.
 

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