GUALBERTO, Earl Justin P.

June 15, 2020

GED102/B2

APPLICATION OF POLYA’S STRATEGY

1. The GSM basketball team won three out of their last six games. In how many different
orders could they have attained three wins and three losses in six games?

Answer:

Step 1: Understand the problem

The GSM team only won three out of six games. They could’ve won
three consecutive games and three losses (WWWLLL), or may be
they lost in the first three games and won in the last three
(LLLWWW).

Step 2: Devise a plan

Enumerate possible lists of various ways the GSM basketball team

could’ve won.

Step 3: Carry out the plan.

Three Ws must be present in every entry without duplication.

1. WWWLLL 9. LLLWWW
2. WWLWLL 10. LLWLWW
3. WWLLWL 11. LLWWLW
4. WWLLLW 12. LLWWWL
5. WLLLWW 13. LWWWLL
6. WLLWWL 14. LWWLLW
7. WLWWLL 15. LWLLWW
8. WLWLWL 16. LWLWLW

Step 4: Review the solution.

In total, there are sixteen orders in which the team can win three out
of six games.

2. Leonardo da Vinci was a famous artist during renaissance period. He wrote in his
notebook that “from the top to the bottom of the chin is the sixth part of the face, and it is
fifty-fourth part of the man”. Suppose the distance from top to bottom of the chin is 1.2
inches. Using Leonardo da Vinci’s measurement, find the height of the person.

Answer:

Step 1: Understand the problem.

Find the height of the person.

 Step 2: Devise a plan.

Let x = the unknown height of the person.

Formulate an equation using da Vinci’s measurements.

Step 3: Carry out the plan.

Let x = height of the person

1_ x = 1.2
54

x = 64.8 inches or 5.4 ft

Result: The person is 5.4 ft in height.

Step 4: Review the solution

The height of the person is 64.8 inches or 5.4 ft.

3. An agency charged P15,000 for a 3-day and 2-night tour in Macau and P20,000 for the same
tour with a side trip to Hongkong. Ten persons joined the trip, which enable them to collect
P170,000. How many tourists made a side trip to Hongkong?
Answer:
Step 1: Understand the problem.

There were 10 people who joined the trip with the total of 170,000
pesos collected in the journey. Some of them made a side trip to
Hongkong while others did not.
Step 2: Devise a plan.

Let   x = the number of people who made a side trip to Hongkong

10-x = the number of people who did not made a side trip to
Hongkong
Step 3: Carry out the plan.

20,000x + 15,000(10-x) = 170,000

20,000x + 15,0000 – 15,000x = 170,000
5,000x = 20,000

x = 4 (side trip to Hongkong)

Step 4: Review the solution

 There is a total of 4 people who made a side trip to Hong Kong.

 There are 6 people who did not made a side trip to Hong Kong.

Thus, four (4) people made a side trip to Hong Kong.