Why Melanie is More Likely to Pay

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 22 views

Introduction

In a game of chance, Melanie and Alexis use two number cubes to decide who will pay the bill for lunch. The rules are simple: if the sum of the two numbers is even, Melanie pays; if it's odd, Alexis pays. But who is more likely to pay the bill? In this article, we'll delve into the world of probability and explore the math behind this seemingly simple game.

Understanding Probability

Probability is a measure of the likelihood of an event occurring. In this case, we're interested in the probability of Melanie paying the bill versus Alexis paying the bill. To calculate this, we need to consider the possible outcomes of rolling two number cubes.

The Possible Outcomes

When rolling two number cubes, each cube has six possible outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Since there are two cubes, the total number of possible outcomes is 6 x 6 = 36.

Even and Odd Sums

Now, let's consider the possible sums of the two numbers. We can categorize these sums into two groups: even and odd.

Even sums: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
Odd sums: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11

Calculating Probabilities

To calculate the probability of Melanie paying the bill, we need to count the number of outcomes where the sum is even. Similarly, to calculate the probability of Alexis paying the bill, we need to count the number of outcomes where the sum is odd.

Melanie's Probability

Let's count the number of outcomes where the sum is even:

2: (1,1), (1,2), (2,1), (2,2), (2,3), (3,2), (3,3), (3,4), (4,3), (4,4), (4,5), (5,4), (5,5), (5,6), (6,5), (6,6) = 16 outcomes
4: (1,3), (2,2), (2,4), (3,1), (3,3), (3,5), (4,2), (4,4), (4,6), (5,3), (5,5), (6,4), (6,6) = 12 outcomes
6: (1,5), (2,4), (3,3), (3,5), (4,2), (4,4), (4,6), (5,1), (5,3), (5,5), (6,2), (6,4), (6,6) = 13 outcomes
8: (2,6), (3,5), (4,4), (4,6), (5,3), (5,5), (6,2), (6,4), (6,6) = 9 outcomes
10: (3,7), (4,6), (5,5), (6,4), (6,6) = 5 outcomes
12: (6,6) = 1 outcome

There are 16 + 12 + 13 + 9 + 5 + 1 = 56 outcomes where the sum is even.

Alexis' Probability

To calculate the probability of Alexis paying the bill, we need to count the number of outcomes where the sum is odd.

1: (1,1) = 1 outcome
3: (1,2), (2,1), (2,2), (2,3), (3,1), (3,2), (3,3), (3,4), (4,3), (5,2), (6,1) = 11 outcomes
5: (1,4), (2,3), (3,2), (3,4), (4,1), (4,3), (5,2), (6,1) = 8 outcomes
7: (2,5), (3,4), (4,3), (5,2), (6,1) = 5 outcomes
9: (3,6), (4,5), (5,4), (6,3) = 4 outcomes
11: (5,6), (6,5) = 2 outcomes

There are 1 + 11 + 8 + 5 + 4 + 2 = 31 outcomes where the sum is odd.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Melanie is more likely to pay the bill than Alexis. The probability of Melanie paying the bill is 56/36 = 1.5556, while the probability of Alexis paying the bill is 31/36 = 0.8611.

Why Melanie is More Likely to Pay

Melanie is more likely to pay the bill because there are more outcomes where the sum is even. This is because there are more ways to get an even sum than an odd sum. For example, to get an even sum of 4, you can roll (1,3), (2,2), (2,4), (3,1), (3,3), (3,5), (4,2), (4,4), (4,6), (5,3), (5,5), (6,4), or (6,6). In contrast, to get an odd sum of 3, you can only roll (1,2), (2,1), (2,2), (2,3), (3,1), (3,2), (3,3), (3,4), (4,3), or (5,2).

Real-World Applications

This game of chance has real-world applications in fields such as finance, insurance, and risk management. For example, in finance, investors may use probability to determine the likelihood of a stock's price increasing or decreasing. In insurance, companies may use probability to determine the likelihood of a policyholder filing a claim. In risk management, companies may use probability to determine the likelihood of a certain event occurring.

Conclusion

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored the math behind Melanie and Alexis' dice game, where they use two number cubes to decide who will pay the bill for lunch. In this article, we'll answer some frequently asked questions about the game.

Q: What is the probability of Melanie paying the bill?

A: The probability of Melanie paying the bill is 56/36 = 1.5556.

Q: What is the probability of Alexis paying the bill?

A: The probability of Alexis paying the bill is 31/36 = 0.8611.

Q: Why is Melanie more likely to pay the bill?

A: Melanie is more likely to pay the bill because there are more outcomes where the sum is even. This is because there are more ways to get an even sum than an odd sum.

Q: Can you give an example of how to calculate the probability of Melanie paying the bill?

A: Let's say we want to calculate the probability of Melanie paying the bill when the sum is 4. We can count the number of outcomes where the sum is 4:

(1,3)
(2,2)
(2,4)
(3,1)
(3,3)
(3,5)
(4,2)
(4,4)
(4,6)
(5,3)
(5,5)
(6,4)
(6,6)

There are 12 outcomes where the sum is 4. Since there are 36 possible outcomes in total, the probability of Melanie paying the bill when the sum is 4 is 12/36 = 1/3.

Q: Can you explain why the probability of Alexis paying the bill is lower than Melanie's?

A: The probability of Alexis paying the bill is lower than Melanie's because there are fewer outcomes where the sum is odd. This is because there are fewer ways to get an odd sum than an even sum.

Q: How does this game relate to real-world applications?

A: This game has real-world applications in fields such as finance, insurance, and risk management. For example, in finance, investors may use probability to determine the likelihood of a stock's price increasing or decreasing. In insurance, companies may use probability to determine the likelihood of a policyholder filing a claim. In risk management, companies may use probability to determine the likelihood of a certain event occurring.

Q: Can you give an example of how to use probability in a real-world scenario?

A: Let's say a company wants to determine the likelihood of a certain event occurring, such as a natural disaster. They can use probability to calculate the likelihood of the event occurring based on historical data. For example, if the company has a 10% chance of experiencing a natural disaster in a given year, they can use this information to make informed decisions about their business.

Q: How can I apply the concepts learned from this game to my own life?

A: The concepts learned from this game can be applied to many areas of life, such as finance, insurance, and risk management. For example, you can use probability to determine the likelihood of a certain event occurring, such as a stock's price increasing or decreasing. You can also use probability to make informed decisions about your business or investments.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Melanie and Alexis' dice game is a fun and educational way to learn about probability. By understanding the math behind the game, we can apply the concepts learned to real-world scenarios and make informed decisions about our business and investments.