Last visit was: 23 Apr 2026, 14:34 It is currently 23 Apr 2026, 14:34
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
zxcvbnmas
Joined: 06 Jun 2014
Last visit: 22 Oct 2016
Posts: 71
Own Kudos:
644
 [36]
Given Kudos: 109
Location: United States
Concentration: Finance, General Management
GMAT 1: 450 Q27 V21
GPA: 3.47
GMAT 1: 450 Q27 V21
Posts: 71
Kudos: 644
 [36]
5
Kudos
Add Kudos
29
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
ENGRTOMBA2018
Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Last visit: 01 Dec 2021
Posts: 2,319
Own Kudos:
3,890
 [23]
Given Kudos: 816
Concentration: Finance, Strategy
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V44
GPA: 3.7
WE:Engineering (Aerospace and Defense)
Products:
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V44
Posts: 2,319
Kudos: 3,890
 [23]
13
Kudos
Add Kudos
10
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
@p00rv@
Joined: 02 Sep 2016
Last visit: 09 Feb 2017
Posts: 31
Own Kudos:
208
 [11]
Given Kudos: 130
Posts: 31
Kudos: 208
 [11]
9
Kudos
Add Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
avatar
geetgmat
Joined: 10 Sep 2016
Last visit: 09 Mar 2017
Posts: 14
Own Kudos:
88
 [1]
Given Kudos: 4
Posts: 14
Kudos: 88
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
If a fair die is rolled three times, what is the probability that a 3 occurs on at least one roll?

a 25/36
b 125/216
c 91/216
d 11/36
e 36/216


can someone please explain how the answer is 91/216?

thanks !!!
User avatar
ydmuley
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 19 Mar 2014
Last visit: 01 Dec 2019
Posts: 807
Own Kudos:
916
 [3]
Given Kudos: 199
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, Entrepreneurship
GPA: 3.5
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
zxcvbnmas
If a fair die is rolled three times, what is the probability that a 3 occurs on at least one roll?

A) 25/36

B) 125/216

C) 91/216

D) 11/36

E) 36/216

Probability of 3 occurs \(= \frac{1}{6}\)

Probability of 3 does not occurs \(= \frac{5}{6}\)

Probability of not getting 3 in three dice rolls \(= \frac{5}{6} * \frac{5}{6} * \frac{5}{6}\)

Probability of not getting 3 in three dice rolls \(= \frac{125}{216}\)

Probability of getting 3 in three dice rolls \(= 1 - \frac{125}{216}\)

\(= \frac{(216 - 125)}{216}\)

\(= \frac{91}{216}\)

Hence, Answer is C
avatar
bfistein
Joined: 12 Jul 2017
Last visit: 14 Aug 2017
Posts: 2
Given Kudos: 1
Posts: 2
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I'm brainfarting right now - how would you go about calculating this the other way, i.e. that the 3 appears at least once?
User avatar
JeffTargetTestPrep
User avatar
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 04 Mar 2011
Last visit: 05 Jan 2024
Posts: 2,974
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 1,646
Status:Head GMAT Instructor
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 2,974
Kudos: 8,710
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
zxcvbnmas
If a fair die is rolled three times, what is the probability that a 3 occurs on at least one roll?

A) 25/36

B) 125/216

C) 91/216

D) 11/36

E) 36/216

We can use the following formula:

1 = P(at least one three) + P(no threes)

Let’s determine P(no threes):

5/6 x 5/6 x 5/6 = 125/216

Thus, P(at least one three) is 1 - 125/216 = 91/216.

Answer: C
User avatar
GmatBawse
Joined: 18 May 2016
Last visit: 24 Dec 2018
Posts: 85
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 108
Location: India
GMAT 1: 700 Q49 V35
WE:Consulting (Non-Profit and Government)
Products:
GMAT 1: 700 Q49 V35
Posts: 85
Kudos: 17
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Probability of obtaining 3 = 1/6

Probability of not getting 3 = 1-1/6 = 5/6

Probability of getting 3 at least once = 1- Probability of never getting 3 (Getting 3 once, twice or thrice and Never getting 3 are mutually exclusive events)

Thus, Probability of getting 3 at least once in 3 rolls of die= 1- (Probability of never getting 3 in 3 rolls of die

= 1- (5/)*(5/6)*(5/6)
=1-125/216
=91/216
= Ans
User avatar
akadiyan
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 31 May 2017
Last visit: 20 Jun 2025
Posts: 724
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 53
Concentration: Technology, Strategy
Products:
Posts: 724
Kudos: 706
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Probability of atleast 1 3's = 1 - probability of No 3's
Probability of getting No 3's when rolled out a dice = 5/6

Probability of not getting when dice is rolled 3 times is = 1 - (5/6) (5/6) (5/6) = 91/216

Ans: C
6
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
zxcvbnmas
If a fair die is rolled three times, what is the probability that a 3 occurs on at least one roll?

A) 25/36

B) 125/216

C) 91/216

D) 11/36

E) 36/216

Hi
I did it like this:
P(E)=1/6
P(E)'=5/6
So probablity of getting in first roll at any position =1/6*5/6*5/6*3
also this can happen in 2 rolls at any position= 1/6*1/6*5/6*3
and finally at all the 3 positions 1/6*1/6*1/6

So adding these 3 will give us
75/216+15/216+1/216=91/216
User avatar
Archit3110
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 18 Aug 2017
Last visit: 23 Apr 2026
Posts: 8,628
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 243
Status:You learn more from failure than from success.
Location: India
Concentration: Sustainability, Marketing
GMAT Focus 1: 545 Q79 V79 DI73
GMAT Focus 2: 645 Q83 V82 DI81
GPA: 4
WE:Marketing (Energy)
Products:
GMAT Focus 2: 645 Q83 V82 DI81
Posts: 8,628
Kudos: 5,190
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
zxcvbnmas
If a fair die is rolled three times, what is the probability that a 3 occurs on at least one roll?

A) 25/36

B) 125/216

C) 91/216

D) 11/36

E) 36/216

P of not getting 3 ; 5/6
so
5/6 *5/6 * 5/6 = 125/216
P of 3
1-125/216
91/216 ; IMO C
avatar
MalvikaNS
Joined: 21 Sep 2019
Last visit: 20 Nov 2019
Posts: 1
Own Kudos:
3
 [3]
Posts: 1
Kudos: 3
 [3]
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
bfistein
I'm brainfarting right now - how would you go about calculating this the other way, i.e. that the 3 appears at least once?

So to calculate it the other way round,

probability of getting a 3 atleast once - (1/6 * 5/6 * 5/6) * 3 (because it can appear in the 1st 2nd or 3rd roll)
probability of getting two 3s - (1/6 * 1/6 * 5/6) * 3 (can appear in 1st & 2nd, 2nd & 3rd or 1st & 3rd)
probability of getting three 3s - (1/6 * 1/6 * 1/6)

hence ((25*3) + (5*3) + 1)/216 = 91/216
User avatar
Basshead
Joined: 09 Jan 2020
Last visit: 07 Feb 2024
Posts: 907
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 431
Location: United States
Posts: 907
Kudos: 323
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Probability of getting a 3: 1/6
Probability of not getting a 3: 5/6

Probability of not getting a 3 * 3 die = 5/6 * 5/6 * 5/6 = 125/216

Probability of getting 3 in dice rolls = 1 - Probability of not getting 3 in 3 dice rolls = 1 - 125/216 = 91/216
User avatar
Mona2019
Joined: 13 Mar 2018
Last visit: 27 Sep 2022
Posts: 190
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 1,608
Posts: 190
Kudos: 222
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Probability of getting 3 at least in 1 roll = 1 - probability of not getting 3 in any of the rolls.

I.e 1- 5/6*5/6*5/6
= 91/216

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
BrushMyQuant
Joined: 05 Apr 2011
Last visit: 03 Apr 2026
Posts: 2,286
Own Kudos:
2,680
 [1]
Given Kudos: 100
Status:Tutor - BrushMyQuant
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, Marketing
Schools: XLRI (A)
GMAT 1: 700 Q51 V31
GPA: 3
WE:Information Technology (Computer Software)
Expert
Expert reply
Schools: XLRI (A)
GMAT 1: 700 Q51 V31
Posts: 2,286
Kudos: 2,680
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Given that a fair die is rolled three times and We need to find what is the probability that a 3 occurs on at least one roll?

As we are rolling three dice => Number of cases = \(6^3\) = 216

P(Getting at least one 3) = 1 - P( zero 3) = 1 - P(Each outcome should result in a number other than 3).

We have 6 numbers in total so getting a number other than 3 can happen in 5 ways.
Doing this three times can happen in 5*5*5 = 125 ways

=> P(Getting at least one 3) = 1 - P(Each outcome should result in a number other than 3) = 1 - \(\frac{125}{216}\) = \(\frac{216 - 125}{216}\) = \(\frac{91}{216}\)

So, Answer will be C
Hope it helps!

Playlist on Solved Problems on Probability here

Watch the following video to MASTER Dice Rolling Probability Problems

User avatar
bumpbot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 38,962
Own Kudos:
Posts: 38,962
Kudos: 1,117
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Automated notice from GMAT Club BumpBot:

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

This post was generated automatically.
Moderators:
Math Expert
109785 posts
Tuck School Moderator
853 posts