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probability distribution count if complicated conditions....

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    probability distribution count if complicated conditions....

    Hello everyone. My program is in French, so I'm sorry if I'm not using the "right" code names...
    I'm not very good at excel but have a complicated formula to write. I have five columns, A and B are the random calculations ( RANDOM () ); C and D are the dice that I'm Rolling (there are two) and E is the sum of what C and D give when Rolling the dice.

    Here is a copy of the first 10 lines.
    ALEA 1 ALEA 2 dé 1 dé 2 Somme
    0,883457512 0,914274962 5 5 10
    0,464863923 0,628784752 3 4 7
    0,50959559 0,867733111 3 5 8
    0,237929421 0,577711023 2 3 5
    0,396385446 0,397612714 2 2 4
    0,587552894 0,718479076 3 4 7
    0,22327887 0,043107088 2 1 3
    0,808080863 0,602729872 5 4 9
    0,753995496 0,336219904 4 2 6
    0,593697167 0,179492347 3 1 4

    The problem is this: I need to say how many wins there are for dice throws with the following rules:
    two odd numbers = game won
    two even numbers = neither lost nor won
    anything else = game lost.

    Is there a formula to count that? I can't just do a "count.if" formula because for example in the "somme" column, when I get a four, the dice could be 2+2 or 3+1. 2+2=neither lost nor won but 3+1 wins...

    Thanks for your help!
    Cynthia

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    Re: probability distribution count if complicated conditions....

    Looks like this is your homework.

    I'm not going to do it for you, but will provide some pointers.
    1) you can't just multiply the random number by 6 and round to the nearest number. (You aren't going to get enough 6's in this way.)
    2) You need to work out what makes a number even or odd. I'd have a look at the MOD function if I were you.

    Good luck.

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    Re: probability distribution count if complicated conditions....

    Thanks Andrew,
    It is for a summer class and I understand that you don't want to give me the answer.

    But I don't understand where you see I'm dividing things... and the MOD function is to find remainders...

    The question is asking what is the probability distribution of winning, losing and draw (neither win nor loose).

    I've been using the Count.if function for simple probability, (how many times will the dice land on 1, 2, 3 etc.) but here it's too complicated for me. That's where I need the help.

    I'm joining the excel file. You'll be able to better see how I'm thinking (and that may be the problem!!!)

    It's easy to say that dice throws that obtain the sum of 2, 5, 7 or 9 either loose or win because the only possibilities of obtaining those numbers are either all win, all loose or all draw. (For example to obtain 2 there is only 1+1, so it's a win, to obtain 5 you can either have 1+4 or 2+3 and those both fall into the "draw" category, so they neither win nor lose.)

    What is making me sweat is the 4... you can get 4 by either 2+2 (draw) or 3+1 (win)... And the problem is finding out what the distribution of wins, losses and draws there are.

    I hope I'm being clear... cause it's really complicated for me to explain (and to understand!!)

    Thanks for your help!
    Cynthiaexercice 3.xlsx
    Last edited by cynthia_74; 07-29-2014 at 03:24 AM.

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    Re: probability distribution count if complicated conditions....

    I've had a look at your file

    I think that you need to focus on what is important. The sum of the 2 dices is not what is important, and this is probably confusing you.

    The result of the game depends on the ODD/EVEN values that come up, so this is what you should be calculating.

    Try adding 2 columns, one for each dice that is set to either "EVEN" or "ODD" depending on whether the dice roll is even or odd.

    Then add 2 more columns to count the number of EVEN or ODD values in that row.

    (I assume that you are intending to be using a 5 sided dice, as there is no way for it to be 6?)

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