1.1 Solving Problems by Inductive reasoning.

Definitions:

• A conjecture is an educated guess based upon repeated observations of a particular process

or pattern.

• Inductive reasoning is characterized by drawing a general conclusion (conjecture) from

repeated observations of specific examples. The conjecture may or may not be true. Inductive
reasoning usually takes specific examples and then makes general conclusions.

• A counterexample is an example which does not work in the conjecture.

• Deductive reasoning is characterized by applying general principles to specific examples.

Deductive reasoning starts general and then gets specific.

Reasoning through a problem requires a premise, conclusion, and a logical argument:

1) A premise can be an assumption, law, rule, widely held idea, or observation.

2) We can reason either inductively or deductively from the premise to obtain a conclusion.

3) Together the Premises and Conclusion make a logical argument.

Example 1.1.1. Determine whether the reasoning is an example of deductive or inductive reason-
ing. Identify the premise(s) and the conclusion.

a) If you take your medicine, you’ll feel a lot better. You take your medicine. Therefore, you’ll feel
a lot better.

b) Natalies first three children were boys. If she has another baby, it will be a boy.

c) If the same number is subtracted from both sides of a true equation, the new equation is also
true. I know that 9 + 18 = 27. Therefore, (9 + 18) - 12 = 27 - 12.

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d) All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

e) For the past 25 years, a rare plant has bloomed in Columbia each summer, alternating between
yellow and green flowers. Last summer, it bloomed with green flowers, so this summer it will
bloom with yellow flowers.

Example 1.1.2. Use inductive reasoning to determine the probable next number in each list:

a) 13, 18, 23, 28, 33

b) 32, 16, 8, 4, 2

c) 1, 4, 9, 16, 25

Example 1.1.3. A list of equations is given. Use the list and inductive reasoning to predict the
next equation.

(9 × 9) + 7 = 88
(98 × 9) + 6 = 888
(987 × 9) + 5 = 8, 888
(9876 × 9) + 4 = 88, 888

(1 × 9) + 2 = 11
(12 × 9) + 3 = 111
(123 × 9) + 4 = 1111
(1234 × 9) + 5 = 11111

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 10(11) = 11(11 − 1)
10(11) + 10(121) = 11(121 − 1)
10(11) + 10(121) + 10(1331) = 11(1331 − 1)
10(11) + 10(121) + 10(1331) + 10(14, 641) = 11(14, 641 − 1)

Example 1.1.4. The method of Gauss: Add the numbers from 1 to 100 (no calculator)

Example 1.1.5. Find the sum using the method of Gauss.

a) 1 + 2 + 3 + · · · + 200

b) 2 + 4 + 6 + · · · + 100

c) 7 + 13 + 19 + 25 + · · · + 61

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1.2 An Application of Inductive Reasoning: Number Patterns
Definitions:

• A number sequence is an ordered list of numbers. It can be finite or infinite.

• In an arithmetic sequence each term after the first is obtained by adding the same number,
called the common difference.

4, 7, 10, 13, 16, . . .

• In a geometric sequence each term after the first is obtained by multiplying by the same
number, called the common ratio.

6, 18, 54, 162, 486, . . .

Example 1.2.1. Identify the following as arithmetic, geometric or neither. If it is arithmetic or

geometric find the next term.

a) 16384, 4096, 1024, 256, 64, . . .

b) 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, . . .

c) 4, 8, 12, 20, 32, 52, . . .

Successive Differences

Example 1.2.2. Use the method of successive differences to find the next term in the sequence.

a) 1, 4, 11, 22, 37, 56, . . .

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b) 6, 20, 50, 102, 182, 296, . . .

c) 3, 14, 31, 54, 83, 118, . . .

Using Formulas

Example 1.2.3. If n is any counting number, the the following is true.

1 + 3 + 5 + · · · + (2n − 1) = n2
Use this formula to find:

a) 1 + 3 + 5 + · · · + 101

b) 1 + 3 + 5 + · · · + 235

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Example 1.2.4. If n is any counting number, the the following is true.

n(n + 1)
1 + 2 + 3 + ··· + n =
2
Use this formula to find:

a) 1 + 2 + 3 + · · · + 101

b) 1 + 2 + 3 + · · · + 235

Figurate Numbers
n(n + 1)
nth Triangular number: Tn =
2

nth Square number: Sn = n2

n(3n − 1)
nth Pentagonal number: Pn =
2
n(4n − 2)
nth Hexagonal number: Hn =
2
n(5n − 3)
nth Heptagonal number: HPn =
2
n(6n − 4)
nth Octagonal number: On =
2

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1.3 Strategies for Problem Solving
Four Step Process for Problem Solving

1. Understand the problem: You cannot solve a problem if you do not understand what you
are being asked to find. Read, read, and read again. The problem must be read and analyzed
carefully.

2. Devise a plan: There are many ways to attack a problem you are solving. Here are some
strategies:
Make a table or a chart. If a formula applies, use it.
Look for a pattern. Work backwards.
Solve a similar simpler problem. Guess and Check.
Draw a sketch. Use trial and error.
Use inductive reasoning. Use common sense.
Write an equation and solve it. Look for a catch if an answer seems
too obvious or impossible.

3. Carry out the plan: Once you know how to approach the problem carry out your plan.

4. Look back and check: Check your answer to see that it is reasonable. Does it satisfy the
conditions of the problem? Have you answered the question asked?

Example 1.3.1. A wise old owl climbed up a tree whose height was exactly ninety plus three.
Every day the owl climbed up 18 and every night climbed down 15. On what day did the owl reach
the top of the tree?

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Example 1.3.2. Only one of these numbers is a perfect square. Which one is it?

329476 389372 964328 326047 724203

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Example 1.3.3. Find the missing numbers: + 2 5
4 4 4

Example 1.3.4. At her birthday party, Ms Willow would not give her age directly. She said, If
you add the year of my birth to this year, subtract the year of my 55th birthday and the year of my
10th birthday, and then add my present age, the result is 33.

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Example 1.3.5. An island has no currency, it instead has the following exchange rate:

20 small fish = 2 big fish

15 big fish = 6 fishing nets
10 fishing nets = 1 raft

How many small fish equal 1 raft?

Example 1.3.6. What are the final two digits of 71997 .

Example 1.3.7. I am thinking of a positive number. If I square it, double the result, take half of
that result, and then add 12, I get 37. What is my number?

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Section 1.4 Calculating, Estimating, and Reading Graphs:
Ex 1: Use your calculator to compute the following:

a) 39.7 + (8.2 – 4.1)

b) (5.76)5

c) 5.56440921

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d) 1.35

14.32 − 8.1
e)
2 × 3.11

Ex 2: A plastic page designed to hold trading cards will hold up to 9 cards. How many
pages will be needed to store 431 cards?

Ex 3: Hale County in Texas has a population of 34,671 and covers 1005 square miles.
About how many people per square mile live in Hale County?

Ex 4: First use rounding to estimate the answer then use your calculator. 19.4 x 2.7.
Round 19.4 to the nearest ten and 2.7 to the nearest integer.
Ex 5: The 1999 market share for satellite television home subscribers is shown in the
chart. The total number of users reached 12,000,000 in August 1999. Use this
information and the pie chart to answer the following questions.

Percentage Market Share

16%

DIRECTV
45%
15% Echostar
C-Band
Primestar

24%

a) Which provider had the largest share of the home subscriber market in August
1999? What was that share?

b) Determine the number of home subscribers to Primestar in August 1999.

c) C-Band is associated with “large dishes” while all other subscribers have “small
dishes”. How many subscribers had small dishes?
Ex 6: The accompanying bar graph shows the number of e-mail boxes in North America
for the year 1995 – 2001. Use the graph to answer the questions.
E-Mail Boxes

350

300
E-Mail Boxes (in millions)

250

200

150

100

50

0
95 96 97 98 99 00 01
Year

a) How many e-mail boxes were there in 1998?

b) By how many did the number of e-mail boxes grow between 1995 and 2001?

c) In what year was the number of e-mail boxes 150 million?

d) Suppose that the number of boxes in 2002 increased the same amount from the
previous year as it did in 2001. What would have been the number of boxes in
2002?
Ex 7: The line graph shows the average prices for personal computers for the years
1993 through 1999. Use this information to answer the questions.

Pesonal Computer Prices

3000

2500

2000
Price (in dollars)

1500

1000

500

0
92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100
Year

a) Between which years did the average price of a PC increase?

b) What has been the general trend in average PC prices since 1994?

c) What were the average PC prices in 1996 and in 1999?

d) About how much did PC prices decline between 1994 and 1999?