On each face of two dice some positive integer is written. The two dice are thrown and the numbers on the top face are added. Determine whether one can select the integers on the faces so that the possible sums are $2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13$, all equally likely?
Problem
Source: Baltic Way 1993
Tags: probability, function, algebra, polynomial, combinatorics unsolved, combinatorics
15.06.2012 17:56
I have a solution, but not sure.... We can write $1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6$ on the sides of one die and $1, 1, 1, 7, 7, 7$ on the sides of the other. Then each of the $12$ possible sums appears in exactly $3$ cases.
15.06.2012 18:02
Hm, sure: $1,1,1,7,7,7$ and $1,2,3,4,5,6$ The probability of a number $x$ where $2 \le x \le 7$ is obtained from getting $1$ in the first die and a corresponding number in the second die. The probability of a number $x$ where $8 \le x \le 13$ is obtained from getting $7$ in the first die and a corresponding number in the second die. Since all numbers in the second die are equally likely and both $1$ and $7$ in the first die are equally likely, all possible sums $2,3,\ldots,13$ are equally likely. EDIT: Beaten by above. If the integers must be distinct within a die, it's impossible; easily proven from seeing the sum $2$.
15.06.2012 18:20
This could have been quite a difficult question back in 1993, if all possibilities were required to be found. If die $A$ has faces labeled $(a_1,a_2,a_3,a_4,a_5,a_6)$, while die $B$ has faces labeled $(b_1,b_2,b_3,b_4,b_5,b_6)$, we can associate to them the exponential generating functions $a(x) = \sum_{k=1}^6 x^{a_k}$ and $b(x) = \sum_{k=1}^6 x^{b_k}$. Then the distribution they need to produce is $f(x) = a(x)b(x)$, and since each of the $12$ numbers must be equally alike obtained ($3$ times, since there are $36$ possibilities), it means we have $f(x) = 3\sum_{k=2}^{13} x^k = 3x^2\sum_{k=0}^{11} x^k = 3x^2\Phi_2(x)\Phi_3(x)\Phi_4(x)\Phi_6(x)\Phi_{12}(x)$. Now we need $a(1)=b(1) = 6$, and also, since $2$ must be obtained, at least one each of the $a_i$'s and $b_j$'s must be equal to $1$. Since $f(1) = 3\cdot 1\cdot \Phi_2(1)\Phi_3(1)\Phi_4(1)\Phi_6(1)\Phi_{12}(1) = 3\cdot 1\cdot 2\cdot 3\cdot 2\cdot 1\cdot 1$, it means we can only have (or obviously reversed) $a(x) = 3x(x+1), b(x) = x(x^2+1)(x^8+x^4+1)$ leading to $(1,1,1,2,2,2)$ and $(1,3,5,7,9,11)$; $a(x) = 3x(x^2+1), b(x) = x(x+1)(x^8+x^4+1)$ leading to $(1,1,1,3,3,3)$ and $(1,2,5,6,9,10)$; $a(x) = 3x(x^3+1), b(x) = x(x^6+1)(x^2+x+1)$ leading to $(1,1,1,4,4,4)$ and $(1,2,3,7,8,9)$; $a(x) = 3x(x^6+1), b(x) = x(x^3+1)(x^2+x+1)$ leading to $(1,1,1,7,7,7)$ and $(1,2,3,4,5,6)$.
18.06.2012 08:46
mavropnevma: what do you mean by $ \Phi_{2}(x)\Phi_{3}(x)\Phi_{4}(x)\Phi_{6}(x)\Phi_{12}(x) $
18.06.2012 12:22
Cyclotomic polynomial.