[Math] Probability for roots of quadratic equation to be real, with coefficients being dice rolls.

dicefaqprobabilityquadraticsstatistics

I really need help with this question.

The coefficients $a,b,c$ of the quadratic equation $ax^2+bx+c=0$ are determined by throwing $3$ dice and reading off the value shown on the uppermost face of each die, so that the first die gives $a$, the second $b$ and and third $c$. Find the probabilities that the roots the equations are real, complex and equal.

I was thinking about using the fundamental formula but i'm not sure how to go about doing it. Help would be greatly appreciated.

Best Answer

The formula for the roots is $$ x = \frac{ -b \pm\sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}. $$ The real/complex dependence of the roots of the coefficients therefore only depends on $b^2 - 4ac$. Now since $1 \le a,b,c \le 6$ and that those are integers, there are not many possibilities for this to equal zero. By inspection,

  • $1 - 4ac \ge 0$ means $\frac 14 \ge ac$, which is impossible, hence we have $36$ complex-root-cases

  • $4 - 4ac \ge 0$ means $1 \ge ac$, which means $a=c=1$, hence $(1,2,1)$ is one equal-root-case (and real), or the other $35$ cases are complex

  • $9 - 4ac \ge 0$ means $\frac 94 \ge ac$, so that equality is impossible, but we can have $ac = 1$ and $ac=2$ to satisfy this inequality, hence there are three real-roots-cases here ($(1,3,1)$, $(1,3,2)$, $(2,3,1)$) and $33$ other complex-roots-cases

  • $16- 4ac \ge 0$ means $ac \le 4$, hence $(4,4,1)$, $(2,4,2)$ and $(1,2,4)$ are 3 equal-root-cases, the number of ways to get $ac \le 4$ (if you count them, you get 11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 22, 31, 41, so there are $8$) is the number of real-root-cases, and the rest ($28$ cases) are complex

  • $25- 4ac \ge 0$ means $\frac {25}4 \ge ac$, thus equality is impossible, but the number of ways to get $ac \le 6$ is $14$ (11,12,13,14,15,16, 21, 22, 23, 31, 32, 41, 51, 61 are the $14$ cases) hence the $22$ other cases are complex-roots-cases and those $14$ are real-root-cases

  • $36- 4ac \ge 0$ means $ac \le 9$, hence $(3,6,3)$ is one equal-root-case and the real root cases are those with $ac \le 9$, hence giving the $15$ cases as for $ac \le 6$, plus the 3 cases 24, 33 and 42, for a total of $17$ real root-cases and $19$ complex-root-cases. To sum it up,

    • $b=1$ : $0$ equal, $0$ real, $36$ complex
    • $b=2$ : $1$ equal, $1$ real, $35$ complex
    • $b=3$ : $0$ equal, $3$ real, $33$ complex
    • $b=4$ : $3$ equal, $8$ real, $28$ complex
    • $b=5$ : $0$ equal, $14$ real, $22$ complex
    • $b=6$ : $1$ equal, $17$ real, $19$ complex.

Therefore the probability that the roots are equal is $\frac{5}{6^3} = \frac 5{216}$, the probability that the roots are real is $\frac{1+3+8+14+17}{6^3} = \frac{43}{216}$ and the probability that the roots are complex is $\frac{36+35+33+28+22+19}{6^3} = \frac{173}{216}$.

Hope that helps,