TITLE: Any sum of 2 dice with equal probability
QUESTION [9 upvotes]: The question is the following: Can one create two nonidentical loaded 6-sided dice such that when one throws with both dice and sums their values the probability of any sum (from 2 to 12) is the same. I said nonidentical because its easy to verify that with identical loaded dice its not possible.
Formally: Let's say that $q_{i}$ is the probability that we throw $i$ on the first die and $p_{i}$ is the same for the second die. $p_{i},q_{i} \in [0,1]$ for all $i \in 1\ldots 6$. The question is that with these constraints are there $q_{i}$s and $p_{i}$s that satisfy the following equations:
$ q_{1} \cdot p_{1} = \frac{1}{11}$
$ q_{1} \cdot p_{2} + q_{2} \cdot p_{1} = \frac{1}{11}$
$ q_{1} \cdot p_{3} + q_{2} \cdot p_{2} + q_{3} \cdot p_{1} = \frac{1}{11}$
$ q_{1} \cdot p_{4} + q_{2} \cdot p_{3} + q_{3} \cdot p_{2} + q_{4} \cdot p_{1} = \frac{1}{11}$
$ q_{1} \cdot p_{5} + q_{2} \cdot p_{4} + q_{3} \cdot p_{3} + q_{4} \cdot p_{2} + q_{5} \cdot p_{1} = \frac{1}{11}$
$ q_{1} \cdot p_{6} + q_{2} \cdot p_{5} + q_{3} \cdot p_{4} + q_{4} \cdot p_{3} + q_{5} \cdot p_{2} + q_{6} \cdot p_{1} = \frac{1}{11}$
$ q_{2} \cdot p_{6} + q_{3} \cdot p_{5} + q_{4} \cdot p_{4} + q_{5} \cdot p_{3} + q_{6} \cdot p_{2} = \frac{1}{11}$
$ q_{3} \cdot p_{6} + q_{4} \cdot p_{5} + q_{5} \cdot p_{4} + q_{6} \cdot p_{3} = \frac{1}{11}$
$ q_{4} \cdot p_{6} + q_{5} \cdot p_{5} + q_{6} \cdot p_{4} = \frac{1}{11}$
$ q_{5} \cdot p_{6} + q_{6} \cdot p_{5} = \frac{1}{11}$
$ q_{6} \cdot p_{6} = \frac{1}{11}$

I don't really now how to start with this. Any suggestions are welcome.

REPLY [2 votes]: I've heard this brainteaser before, and usually its phrased that 2-12 must come up equally likely (no comment about other sums).  With this formulation (or interpretation) it becomes possible.  Namely, {0,0,0,6,6,6} and {1,2,3,4,5,6}.  In this case, you can also generate the sum 1, but 2-12 are equally likely (1-12 are equally likely).  Without allowing for other sums I do suspect its impossible (and looks like proofs have been given).  I arrived at this answer by noting we are asking for equal probability for 11 events that come from 36 (6*6) possible outcomes, which immediately seems unlikely.  However equal probability for 12 events from 36 outcomes is far more manageable :)
Phil