Final answer:
The probability that the sum of the spots is 5 when two six-sided dice are thrown is 1/9, calculated by dividing the number of favorable outcomes (4) by the total number of outcomes (36).
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks us to determine the probability that the sum of the spots is 5 when throwing two six-sided dice. Each die has a sample space {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}, and when two dice are thrown, the combined sample space consists of 36 outcomes because each die roll is independent, and there are 6 outcomes for each die (6 outcomes for the first die × 6 outcomes for the second die = 36 total outcomes).
To find the probability of getting a sum of 5, we need to count the number of outcomes where the two dice add up to 5. The pairs that result in a sum of 5 are (1,4), (2,3), (3,2), and (4,1), yielding 4 favorable outcomes. Therefore, the probability (P) is calculated as:
P(sum is 5) = Number of favorable outcomes / Total number of outcomes = 4 / 36 = 1 / 9.
The probability that the sum of the spots on two thrown dice is 5 is 1/9.