Direction: Use Polya’s four-step problem-solving strategy to solve the following problems.

(8 items x 2
points)

1. If six (6) people greet each other at a meeting by shaking hands with one another, how many
handshakes will take place?

Understand the Problem: How many handshakes will take place?

Each handshake involves two people.
A person shakes another person's hands once.

Devise a Plan: In that case Guest 1 will shake hands with 5 others
Guest 2 will shake hands with 4 others (Remember she's already shaken hands with Guest 1).
Guest 3 will shake hands with 3 others (having already shaken hands with Guest 1 and 2).
Guest 2 will shake hands with 2 others
And guest 1 will shake hands with 1 guest.
Let the 6 people be A, B, C, D, E and F.
A⇒ B, C, D, E, F (5 handshakes)
B ⇒ C, D, E, F (4 handshakes)
C ⇒ D, E, F (3 handshakes)
D ⇒ E, F (2 handshakes)
E ⇒ F or F ⇒ E (1 handshake)

Carry Out the Plan: 5+4+3+2+1 = 15

Revise the Solution:

Total handshakes = n/2 (n - 1)

Where:
n = number of people
2 = number of people per handshake
(n-1) = the number of handshakes one person does to another excluding himself

Solve:
Total handshakes = 6/2 (6-1)
Total handshakes = 3(5)
Total handshakes = 15
2. The product of the ages, in years, of three (3) teenagers is 4590. None of them have the same age.
What are the ages of the teenagers?

Understand the Problem: What are the ages of the teenagers?

Devise a Plan: Find 3 factors of 4,590 which are from 13, youngest age, to 19, the oldest among the
teen-agers.
Decide the divisibility rules that apply to get the factors required.
4,590 has digits whose sum is divisible be 3 and 9 (4+5+9+0 = 18)
4,590 is an even number therefore divisible by 2 and ending in 0 so it's also divisible by 10 and 5.
Ignore 10 because the least factor multiple by 10 yields more than the number 19.
If the number is divisible by both 2 and 3, then it is divisible by 5.
Combine any of the factors to get three different products from 13 to 19.

Carry Out the Plan: The factors are 2, 3, 5, 6, 9.

The possible combination of factors:  

3 × 5 =  15
3 × 6 = 18
 2 × 9 = 18
The factors are 15 and 18, the ages of two teenagers.

Revise the Solution: Find the other factor that represents the age of the third teenager:
Age of the third teenager = 4,590 ÷ (15 × 18)
Age = 4,590 ÷ (270)
Age = 17 age of the third teenager
Check if the product of the ages of the three teenagers is 4,590:
(15) × (17) × (18) = 4,590
4590 = 4,590 (True)
Therefore, the ages of the three teenagers are 15, 17, and 18