Final answer:
The probability of getting a sum of 9 or 8 when two different colored dice are rolled simultaneously is 5/36 or approximately 0.139.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the probability of getting a sum of 9 or 8 when two different colored dice are rolled simultaneously, we need to determine the number of favorable outcomes and the total number of possible outcomes.
A sum of 9 can be obtained in the following ways: (3,6) and (4,5), which is a total of 2 favorable outcomes. A sum of 8 can be obtained in the following ways: (2,6), (3,5), and (4,4), which is a total of 3 favorable outcomes.
The total number of possible outcomes is given by multiplying the number of outcomes on each die, which is 6 x 6 = 36. Therefore, the probability of getting a sum of 9 or 8 is (2 + 3) / 36 = 5 / 36 or approximately 0.139 (rounded to three decimal places).