Step 1: Total possible outcomes.
When two dice are thrown, the total number of outcomes is \( 6 \times 6 = 36 \).
Step 2: Favorable outcomes.
The sums greater than 8 are: 9, 10, 11, and 12. We list the pairs that produce these sums:
- Sum 9: (3, 6), (4, 5), (5, 4), (6, 3) — 4 outcomes
- Sum 10: (4, 6), (5, 5), (6, 4) — 3 outcomes
- Sum 11: (5, 6), (6, 5) — 2 outcomes
- Sum 12: (6, 6) — 1 outcome
Thus, the total number of favorable outcomes is \( 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 10 \).
Step 3: Probability calculation.
The probability of getting a sum greater than 8 is:
\[
P = \frac{10}{36} = \frac{5}{18}
\]
Step 4: Conclusion.
Therefore, the correct answer is (3) \( \frac{5}{18} \).