Sample Problems

Teds weekly income is $100.00 less than double Garys weekly income. If Ted makes $500.00 a week, what does Gary make? Paul makes $25.00 a week less than the sum of what Fred and Carl together make. Carls weekly income would be triple Stevens if he made $50.00 more a week. Paul makes $285.00 a week and Steven makes $75.00 a week. How much does Fred make?

Investigation and Argument

Solving a problem has two phases:
Investigation: Find a solution
Argument: Get the solution across to a client

Too often, we only see the polished argument in a book

Hopefully this course helps you with investigation

But you also have to be good at argument

Argument
Bad argument:
Coercing through force of will or personality
Irrespective of correctness

Good argument:
Clear presentation Logical progression of steps Enough and not too much Successful

When Do You Argue

Anytime you write
Email
Letters Tests Homework

Proposals

Mechanisms:
Proofs Essays, papers, books

Chessboard Problem

Problem: Completely tile defective chessboard with dominos

Chessboard Problem
Claim: Tiling the defective chessboard with dominos is impossible.

Proof?

Must be a convincing argument

First Proof Attempt

There are more black squares than white squares. Therefore, tiling the defective chessboard with dominos is impossible.

Why is this not an adequate argument?

Second Proof Attempt

Every domino covers one black square and one white square. The defective chessboard has two more black squares than white squares. Therefore, any tiling with dominos will leave at least two black squares uncovered. We conclude that tiling the defective chessboard with dominos is impossible.

Is this an adequate argument?