Dice Odds

[nailit]

can anyone tell me what the odds are of throwing 5 dice and getting them all to have the same number face up? (and how would you work this out?)

Just been playing yahtzee (a dice game) with friends and wondered what the odds would be.
Thanks.

[BlackadderV]

1/6 x 1/6 x 1/6 x 1/6 x 1/6 = 1/7776

[Baldric]

That's what I made it 7776 to 1

[Calibax]

If you don't care which number is on top as long as they're all the same, it doesn't matter wat number is thrown on die 1 so it has a probability of 1.
For the four subsequent dice the probability is 1 in 6 that they have the same number as die one. So the overall probability is;
1 x 1/6 x 1/6 x 1/6 x 1/6 = 1/1296

[anneasquith]

so clever boys :))

[BlackadderV]

Good point, Calibax. I was thinking along the lines of throwing five sixes, fours or whatever.

[nailit]

Thanks guys but im a bit confused now, is it 7776 to 1 , or 1296 to 1?
Its immaterial what the number is as long as all 5 dice have the same number. (and all 5 dice thrown at the same time)

[nailit]

Thanks graham, having a look now (when it loads on this bloody slow 'puter)

[BlackadderV]

1296 to 1 if it doesn't matter which number is on the first die, as Calibax has so ably pointed out. However, if you were to ask the odds on throwing, say five sixes, then it would be 7776 yo 1.

[BlackadderV]

Throwing the dice at the same time and throwing them separately does not change the odds.

[nailit]

Ah, got it now. Many thanks. Probability odds was never my strong point.
Thanks again, very helpful.

[Old_Geezer]

What were the odds you'd start off with two wrong answers ?

[Canary42]

Probability is often used incorrectly. To take a crude example, the odds of you winning the lottery is 50-50 (i.e. there are only two states, you win or you don't).

Using this construction, the odds of throwing five dice the same are 1/2 !

[nailit]

Two wrong answers OG?
50/50 Canary?
I'm getting a headache now, thought it was a straight forward query. :-(

[Canary42]

Sorry nailit, my post is not to be taken too seriously - it demonstrates how the water can be muddied. :-)

[Quizmonster]

Surely the answer is 7775 to 1, not 7776 to 1. 7776 is the total and ONE of them is right, hence 777quote[5] to 1. Thought I'd check it out and found an answer here http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/probability/calcdice.htm#more

[Canary42]

LOL at divebuddy

[Old_Geezer]

BlackadderV 1
Baldric 1

1+1 = 2

Yep ! 2 wrong answers ;-)