Question 19.23

19.23 Playing craps. The game of craps is played with two dice. The player rolls both dice and wins immediately if the outcome (the sum of the faces) is 7 or 11. If the outcome is 2, 3, or 12, the player loses immediately. If he rolls any other outcome, he continues to throw the dice until he either wins by repeating the first outcome or loses by rolling a 7.

  1. (a) Explain how to simulate the roll of a single fair die. (Hint: Just use digits 1 to 6 and ignore the others.) Then explain how to simulate a roll of two fair dice.

  2. (b) Draw a tree diagram for one play of craps. In principle, a player could continue forever, but stop your diagram after four rolls of the dice. Use Table A, beginning at line 114, to simulate plays and estimate the probability that the player wins.