Problem Solving Strategies

Find a Pattern
Question: Carol has written a number pattern that begins with 1, 3, 6, 10, 15 !" she #ontinues
this pattern, what are the ne$t "our numbers in her pattern%
Strateg&:
1' ()*+,S-.)*:
/hat do &ou need to "ind%
0ou need to "ind 1 numbers a"ter 15
2' P3.):
4ow #an &ou solve the problem%
0ou #an "ind a pattern 3oo5 at the numbers -he new number depends upon the number
be"ore it
3' S637+:
3oo5 at the numbers in the pattern
3 8 1 9 2 :starting number is 1, add 2 to ma5e 3'
6 8 3 9 3 :starting number is 3, add 3 to ma5e 6'
10 8 6 9 1 :starting number is 6, add 1 to ma5e 10'
15 8 10 9 5 :starting number is 10, add 5 to ma5e 15'
)ew numbers will be
15 9 6 8 21
21 9 ; 8 2<
2< 9 < 8 36
36 9 = 8 15
Problem Solving Strategies
>a5e a -able
Question: 0ou save ?3 on >onda& +a#h da& a"ter that &ou save twi#e as mu#h as &ou saved
the da& be"ore !" this pattern #ontinues, how mu#h would &ou save on Frida&%
Strateg&:
1' ()*+,S-.)*:
0ou need to 5now that &ou save ?3 on >onda& -hen &ou need to 5now that &ou alwa&s save
twi#e as mu#h as &ou "ind the da& be"ore
2' P3.):
4ow #an &ou solve the problem%
0ou #an ma5e a table li5e the one below 3ist the amount o" mone& &ou save ea#h da&
,emember to double the number ea#h da&
Day Amount of Money Saved
Monday $3
Tuesday $6
Wednesday $12
Thursday $24
Friday $48
0ou save ?1< on Frida&
Question: @a#5 wal5ed "rom Santa Clara to Palo .lto !t too5 1 hour 25 minutes to wal5 "rom
Santa Clara to 3os .ltos -hen it too5 25 minutes to wal5 "rom 3os .ltos to Palo .lto 4e arrived
in Palo .lto at 2:15 P> .t what time did he leave Santa Clara%
Strateg&:
1' ()*+,S-.)*:
/hat do &ou need to "ind%
0ou need to "ind what the time was when @a#5 le"t Santa Clara
2' P3.):
4ow #an &ou solve the problem%
0ou #an wor5 ba#5wards "rom the time @a#5 rea#hed Palo .lto Subtra#t the time it too5 to wal5
"rom 3os .ltos to Palo .lto -hen subtra#t the time it too5 to wal5 "rom Santa Clara to 3os .ltos
3' S637+:
Start at 2:15 -his is the time @a#5 rea#hed Palo .lto
Subtra#t 25 minutes -his is the time it too5 to get "rom 3os .ltos to Palo .lto
-ime is: 2:20 P>
Subtra#t: 1 hour 25 minutes -his is the time it too5 to get "rom Santa Clara to 3os .ltos
@a#5 le"t Santa Clara at 12:55 P>
Problem Solving Strategies
Auess and Che#5
Question: .m& and @ud& sold 12 show ti#5ets altogether .m& sold 2 more ti#5ets than @ud&
4ow man& ti#5ets did ea#h girl sell%
Strateg&:
1' ()*+,S-.)*:
/hat do &ou need to "ind%
0ou need to 5now that 12 ti#5ets were sold in all 0ou also need to 5now that .m& sold 2 more
ti#5ets than @ud&
2' P3.):
4ow #an &ou solve the problem%
0ou #an guess and #he#5 to "ind two numbers with a sum o" 12 and a di""eren#e o" 2 !" &our
"irst guess does not wor5, tr& two di""erent numbers
3' S637+:
First Auess:
.m& 8 < ti#5ets
@ud& 8 1 ti#5ets
Che#5
< 9 1 8 12
< B 1 8 1 : .m& sold 1 more ti#5ets'
-hese numbers do not wor5C
Se#ond Auess:
.m& 8 ; ti#5ets
@ud& 8 5 ti#5ets
Che#5
; 9 5 8 12
;B 5 8 2 : .m& sold 2 more ti#5ets'
-hese numbers do wor5C
.m& sold ; ti#5ets and @ud& sold 5 ti#5ets
Problem Solving Strategies
*raw a Pi#ture
Question: 3aura has 3 green #hips, 1 blue #hips and 1 red #hip in her bag /hat "ra#tional part
o" the bag o" #hips is green%
Strateg&:
1' ()*+,S-.)*:
/hat do &ou need to "ind%
0ou need to "ind how man& #hips are in all -hen &ou need to "ind how man& o" the #hips are
green
2' P3.):
4ow #an &ou solve the problem%
0ou #an draw a pi#ture to show the in"ormation -hen &ou #an use the pi#ture to "ind the
answer
3' S637+:
*raw < #hips
3D< o" the #hips are green
Problem Solving Strategies
>a5e a 3ist
Question: @ud& is ta5ing pi#tures o" @im, Earen and >i5e She as5s them, F 4ow man& di""erent
wa&s #ould &ou three #hildren stand in a line%F
Strateg&:
1' ()*+,S-.)*:
/hat do &ou need to 5now%
0ou need to 5now that an& o" the students #an be "irst, se#ond or third
2' P3.):
4ow #an &ou solve the problem%
0ou #an ma5e a list to help &ou "ind all the di""erent wa&s Choose one student to be "irst, and
another to be se#ond -he last one will be third
3' S637+:
/hen &ou ma5e &our list, &ou will noti#e that there are 2 wa&s "or @im to be "irst, 2 wa&s "or
Earen to be "irst and 2 wa&s "or >i5e to be "irst
First Second Third
Jim Karen Mike
Jim Mike Karen
Karen Jim Mike
Karen Mike Jim
Mike Karen Jim
Mike Jim Karen
So, there are 6 wa&s that the #hildren #ould stand in line
Problem Solving Strategies
/rite a )umber Senten#e
Question: Sam put 1< pen#ils in 3 eGual groups 4ow man& pen#ils are in ea#h group%
Strateg&:
1' ()*+,S-.)*:
/hat do &ou need to 5now%
0ou need to 5now that there are 1< pen#ils and the& are divided into 3 eGual groups
2' P3.):
4ow #an &ou solve the problem%
0ou #an write a number senten#e to solve the problem /rite a division senten#e to divide the
pen#ils in 3 eGual groups
3' S637+:
1< H 3 8 6
-here are 6 pen#ils in ea#h group