Sonal and Ananya are playing a game by throwing a die alternatively till one of them gets a '1' and wins the game. Find their respective probabilities of winning if Sonal starts first.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Sonal: $\frac{6}{11}$, Ananya: $\frac{5}{11}$
When a die is thrown, then sample space $S = \{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6\}$.
It has 6 equally likely outcomes.
Let E be the event of throwing '1', then
$p = P(E)=\frac{1}{6}$, so $q = 1-\frac{1}{6}=\frac{5}{6}$.
As Sonal starts the game by throwing the first die
P(Sonal winning in the first throw) = $\frac{1}{6}$
Sonal gets second chance only if Sonal and Ananya both fail in the first round.
∴ P(Sonal winning in the 2nd round i.e. third throw) = $\frac{5}{6}×\frac{5}{6}×\frac{1}{6}$.
Similarly, P(Sonal winning in the 3rd round i.e. fifth throw) = $\frac{5}{6}×\frac{5}{6}×\frac{5}{6}×\frac{5}{6}×\frac{1}{6}$ and so on.
∴ The probability of Sonal winning the game is the sum of the series
$\frac{1}{6}+(\frac{5}{6})^2.\frac{1}{6}+(\frac{5}{6})^4+....$
which is an infinite geometrical series with $a =\frac{1}{6},r=(\frac{5}{6})^2<1$
$=\frac{\frac{1}{6}}{1-(\frac{5}{6})^2}=\frac{6}{11}$ $(∵S_∞=\frac{a}{1-r})$
Hence, P(Sonal winning) = $\frac{6}{11}$
Now, P(Sonal winning) + P(Ananya winning) = 1
⇒ P(Ananya winning) = $1-\frac{6}{11}=\frac{5}{11}$
Hence, P(Ananya winning) = $\frac{5}{11}$