Chapter 2

Problem Solving

2.1 Inductive Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning
Inductive reasoning is the process of reaching a general conclusion by examining specific examples.

EXAMPLE 1. Use inductive reasoning to predict the next number: 1,4,9,13,17,

Solution. Each successive number is 4 larger than the preceding number. Thus we predict that the next
number in the list is 4 larger than 17, which is 21.

Exercise 1. Consider the following procedure:

• Pick a number.

• Multiply the number by 9.

• Add 15 to the product.

• Divide the sum by 3.

• Subtract 5.

For example, suppose you chose the number 5. Then the procedure would produce the following:

Multiply by 9: 9(5) = 45

Add 15 to the product: 45 + 15 = 60

6
2.1. INDUCTIVE REASONING 7

60
Divide by 3: = 20
3
Subtract 5: 20 − 5 = 15

Complete the above procedure for several different numbers, such as 2, 6, 7, 10, 14, plus two more numbers
of your choice. Enter your results in the table below.

Number 2 6 7 10 14

Result

What do you notice about the result?

Exercise 2.

1. Give the last digit of the numbers 7, 72 , 73 , 74 , and so on. Enter your results in a table such as the
one below.

7 72 73 74 75 76 77

Last digit 7 9

2. What do you notice about the result?

3. Use your conjecture to find the last digit of the following numbers.

(a) 739 → Last digit =

(b) 7400 → Last digit =

(c) 773 → Last digit =

(d) 7154 → Last digit =

Exercise 3. Gina is the mother of four children only. The first was born in April, the second in May, and
the third is June. On what month was the fourth child born?
8 CHAPTER 2. PROBLEM SOLVING

NAME:

In numbers 1-8, Find a pattern and write the next three numbers in each sequence.

1. 17, 23, 32, 44, 59, , ,

2. 152, 131, 114, 101, , ,

3. 3, 7, 15, 31, 63, 127, , ,

4. 1, 8, 27, 64, 125, 216, , ,

5. 40, 8, 50, 10, 60, 12, , ,

6. 2, 5, 9, 19, 40, 77, 135, , ,

7. 1, 4, 5, 9, 14, 23, 37, , ,

8. 1, 10, 11, 100, 101, 110, 111, 1000, 1001, 1010, 1011, , ,

9. In the sequence a, b, c, a, b, c, a, b, c, a, . . ., what is the 100th letter?

10. In the sequence 1234567891011121314 . . ., what is the 100th digit?

11. Consider the following procedure: Pick a number. Multiply the number by 5, add 20 to the
product, divide the sum by 2, and subtract 10. Complete the above procedure for five different
numbers and enter your results in the table below.

Number

Result

Use inductive reasoning to make a conjecture about the relationship between the size of the
resulting number and the size of the original number.
2.2. DEDUCTIVE REASONING AND LOGIC PUZZLES 9

2.2 Deductive Reasoning and Logic Puzzles

Deductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning is the process of reasoning from one or more general assumptions (axioms) to
reach a logical conclusion.

EXAMPLE 2. In Seatwork 1 of Section 2.1, you performed the following procedure on several numbers.

1. Pick a number. 4. Divide the sum by 3.

2. Multiply the number by 9. 5. Subtract 5.
3. Add 15 to the product.

You must have observed that the output is always 3 times your chosen number. How can you prove your
conjecture using deductive reasoning?

Solution. If we let x be the first number, then multiplying it by 9 results to 9x. Adding 15 yields 9x + 15.
9x + 15
Dividing by 3 results to = 3x + 5. Subtracting this by 5, we get (3x + 5) − 5 = 3x. Therefore, the
3
resulting number is always three times the original number.

Deductive reasoning and chart will be helpful to solve logic puzzles.

EXAMPLE 3. Three children (Karl, Noel, and Naz) each have a different favorite color (blue, green, red)
and different pet (cat, turtle, fish). The following are true.

1. Karl, whose favorite color is not green, has a fish.

2. Noel’s favorite color is red.

3. The kid who likes green also has a turtle.

Solution. A table may help you organize your solution.

Child Color Pet

10 CHAPTER 2. PROBLEM SOLVING

From Clue #1, Karl has a fish.

Child Color Pet

Karl fish

From Clue #2, Noel’s favorite color is red.

Child Color Pet

Karl fish

Noel red

From Clue #1, Karl’s favorite color is NOT green, so it must be the favorite color of the last person. From
Clue #3, the kid who likes green also has a turtle.

Child Color Pet

Karl fish

Noel red

green turtle

From the information above, you can fill in the remaining blanks to obtain the following.

Child Color Pet

Karl blue fish

Noel red cat

Naz green turtle

EXAMPLE 4. Each of four neighbors, Jaime, Ron, Kath, and Edith, has a different occupation (teacher,
banker, chef, or dentist). From the following clues, determine the occupation of each neighbor.
2.2. DEDUCTIVE REASONING AND LOGIC PUZZLES 11

1. Ron gets home from work after the banker but before the dentist.

2. Kath, who is the last to get home from work, is not the teacher.

3. The dentist and Kath leave for work at the same time.

4. The banker lives next door to Edith.

Solution. From Clue #2, Kath (who is not the dentist, see Clue #3) arrives home last. Also, from Clue
#1, Ron arrives home after the banker, but before the dentist (who is not Kath). These can be summarized
below.

Arrives Person Occupation

First banker

Second Ron

Third dentist

Fourth Kath

From Clue #2, Kath is not the teacher, so she must be the chef. From Clue #4, Edith is not the banker,
so she must be the dentist.

Arrives Person Occupation

First banker

Second Ron

Third Edith dentist

Fourth Kath chef

Finally, complete the table with the last choices.

Arrives Person Occupation

First Jaime banker

Second Ron teacher

Third Edith dentist

Fourth Kath chef

12 CHAPTER 2. PROBLEM SOLVING

Exercise 4. Three girls (Glenda, Alva, and Flora) and one boy (Ramon) each like a different color (blue,
red, pink, green) and are of different ages (8, 9, 10, 11). Determine their age and favorite color based on
the clues below.

1. The oldest is a boy who does not like pink.

2. Flora is the youngest and likes blue.

3. Alva is one year older than Glenda.

4. The 9 year-old child likes red.

Age Child Color

10

11

Exercise 5. Four families (Santos, Juaneza, Corpuz, Abalos) each had a vacation of different lengths (2
days, 4 days, 6 days, 8 days) to a different destination (Asik-Asik, Forest Park, Lake Agco, Lake Sebu).
For each family, determine the length of their vacation and their destination based on the clues below.

1. The family that went to Lake Agco was gone for 4 days.

2. The Juaneza family went to Forest Park for more than 3 days.

3. The Santos family was on vacation 2 days longer than the family that visited Forest Park.

4. The Corpuz family visited a lake.

5. The Abalos family went to Lake Agco.

Family No. of Days Destination

2.2. DEDUCTIVE REASONING AND LOGIC PUZZLES 13

NAME:

A. Four children (Jay, Kay, Eddien, Mark) raced their pets (rabbit, frog, turtle, cat) in a race. Determine
the race results (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) for each pet and its owner.

1. Kay’s pet (which is not a frog or turtle) finished in third place.

2. Jay has a rabbit.

3. Kay finished right after Mark.

4. Mark’s pet finished right after the turtle.

5. Eddien does not have a frog.

Place Person Pet

First

Second

Third

Fourth

B. Bai, Zita, Kevin, and Eddie were recently elected as the new class officers (president, vice president,
secretary, treasurer) of the Mathematics in the Modern World class at University of Southern Mindanao.
From the following clues, determine which position each holds.

1. Eddie is younger than the president but older than the treasurer.

2. Bai and the secretary are both the same age, and they are the youngest members of the group.

3. Kevin and the secretary are cousins.

Set up the following table.

Person Position
14 CHAPTER 2. PROBLEM SOLVING

NAME:

1. Think of a number and perform the following procedure:

STEP 1: Add 3.
STEP 2: Double the result.
STEP 3: Subtract 2.
STEP 4: Cut the result in half.
STEP 5: Subtract your original number.
Complete the above procedure for five different numbers and enter your result in the table below.

Number

Result

2. Use inductive reasoning to give a conjecture:

3. Prove your conjecture using deductive reasoning. Begin by denoting your original number by x.

STEP Result

4. Think of a number and perform the following procedure. Add 5. Double the result. Add 4. Subtract
your original number. Complete the above procedure for five different numbers and enter your result
in the table below.

Number

Result

5. Carla performed the above procedure and her result was 29. What was her original number?
2.3. COUNTEREXAMPLES 15

2.3 Counterexamples

Counterexamples
A statement is a true statement provided that it is true in all cases. If you can find one case for
which a statement is not true, called a counterexample, then the statement is a false statement.

EXAMPLE 5. True or false: If a number is divisible by 5, then it is surely divisible by 10.

Solution. The number 30 is divisible by 5. But it is also divisible by 10, so it is NOT a counterexample.
The number 35 is divisible by 5, but it is not divisible by 10. This is a counterexample. Therefore, the
given statement is FALSE.

Remark: If you cannot find a counterexample, it does not mean that the statement is true. A proof is
required to say that the statement is trues for all cases.

EXAMPLE 6. Let x be a real number. Give a counterexample to each of the following false statements.
√
1. x < 0 2. x2 > 0 3. x2 = x

Solution. 1. The inequality is false when x = 1. Hence, x = 1 is a counterexample.

2. The inequality is false when x = 0. Hence, x = 0 is a counterexample.
p √
3. Choose x = −4. Then (−4)2 = 16 = 4 6= x. (Note: −4 is a square √ root of 16, but it is NOT the
principal square root. The principal square root of 16, denoted by 16 is unique). This means that
x = −4 is a counterexample.

Exercise 6. Give counterexamples to each of the following false statements.

1. If n is a whole number, then n2 + n + 11 is a prime number.

2. If a number is divisible by 15, then it is an odd number.
3. If a number is divisible by 3, then it is also divisible by 15.
4. If a positive number is decreased by 20, then the result is a positive number.
5. If a negative number is increased by 10, then the result is a positive number.
6. If a number is divisible by both 2 and 10, then it is also divisible by 20.
7. If a number divisible by 3 is multiplied to another number divisible by 3, then the result is odd.
8. If a number divisible by 5 is multiplied to another number divisible by 5, then the result is even.