MATHEMATICS

IN THE
MODERN WORLD
CHAPTER 3:
PROBLEM SOLVING AND
REASONING EXAMPLES
LOGICAL REASONING
EXAMPLES
 EXAMPLE 1:
• Identify each premise and the conclusion in each of the
following arguments. Then tell whether each argument is an
example of inductive or deductive reasoning.
1. Our house is made of redwood. Both of my next-door
neighbors have red-wood houses. Therefore, all houses in
our neighborhood are made of redwood.
(Inductive Reasoning)
2. All word processors will type the symbol @. I have a word
processor. I can type the symbol @.
(Deductive Reasoning)
3. Today is Friday. Tomorrow will be Saturday.
(Deductive Reasoning)
 EXAMPLE 2:
37×3=111
37×6=222
37×9=333
37×12=444
• Consider the list of equations above. Use the list to
predict the next multiplication fact in the list.
Ans: 37×15=555
 EXAMPLE 3:
• Multiplication Repeated addition Sum
4 × -2 -2 + -2 + -2 + -2 -8
3 × -7 -7 + -7 + -7 - 21
5 × -6 -6 + -6 + -6 + -6 + -6 - 30
Possible Conclusions:
Addition of negative numbers leads to negative answers.
Product of multiplication and the sum of repeated addition
are equal.
 EXAMPLE 4:
3 × -4 = -12
2 × -4 = -8
1 × -4 = -4
0 × -4 = 0
-1 × -4 = 4
-2 × -4 = 8
-3 × -4 = 12
Negative number multiplied by the number line will reverse the signs of the numbers.
 RIDDLE:

Mom and dad have four daughters,

and each daughter has one brother.
How many people are in the family?
7
 RIDDLE:

If it is two hours later, then it will take

half as much time till it's midnight as
it would be if it were an hour later.
What time is it?
9 PM
 RIDDLE:

In a bicycle race, the man who came

two places in front of the last man
finished one ahead of the man who
came fifth. How many contestants
were there?
6
 RIDDLE:

My daughter has many sisters. She has as

many sisters as she has brothers. Each of her
brothers has twice as many sisters as brothers.
How many sons and daughters do I have?
4 Daughters and 3 Sons
 EXAMPLE 5:
Prisoners with Red/Black Hats
One hundred prisoners in jail are standing in a queue
facing one direction. Each prisoner is wearing a hat of
color either black or red. A prisoner can see hats of all
prisoners in front of him in the queue but cannot see his
hat and hats of prisoners standing behind him. The jailer
is going to ask the color of each prisoner’s hat starting
from the last prisoner in queue. If the prisoner tells the
correct color, then is saved, otherwise executed. How
many prisoners can be saved at most if they are
allowed to discuss a strategy before the jailer starts
asking colors of their hats.

99 prisoners can be saved with certainty, the other one

has a 50:50 chance of surviving.
INDUCTIVE REASONING
TESTS
Answer: B

1st rule: The shape in the center comprises 1 fewer straight line every
time.
2nd rule: The shape in the top left alternates between being a triangle
and being a square.
3rd rule: There is a cross when both shapes have the same number of
sides, and a tick when they have different numbers of sides.
Answer: A

1st rule: The number of circles that are grouped together increases by one every
time, with the final group containing all the circles that do not fit into a
whole group.
2nd rule: One circle is removed every time.
3rd rule: Half of the circles are shaded and half are unshaded. When there is an
odd number of circles, The ‘extra’ circle is shaded.
Answer: D

1st rule: The door moves to the right, center, left then center, always in line with
the window immediately above it, and then the pattern repeats.
2nd rule: First only upper storey windows are leaded, then only the lower storey
windows are leaded, then all windows are leaded. This pattern then
repeats.
3rd rule: Starting at the bottom right window, the figure visits each window in turn
POLYA’S
PROBLEM-SOLVING
STARTEGY
EXAMPLES
 EXAMPLE 1:
Problem: Twice the difference of a number and 1 is 4 more than
that number. Find the number.

Step 1: Make sure that you read the question Step 3: 2(x-1)=x+4
carefully several times. 2x-2=x+4
Since we are looking for a number, we 2x-2-x=x+4-x
will let x-2=4
x-2+2=4+2
x = a number x=6
Step 2: Twice the difference of a number and 1 Step 4: If you take twice the difference of 6 and
is 4 more than that number 1, that is the same as 4 more than 6, so this does
2(x-1) = x+4 check.
 EXAMPLE 2:
Problem: I purchased a new tv at a local electronics store for $541.25, which
included tax. If the tax rate is 8.25%, find the price of the tv before they added
the tax.

Step 1: Make sure that you read the question carefully several times.
We are looking for the price of the tv before they added the tax, we will let
x = price of the tv before tax was added
Step 2: The original price plus 8.25% tax will give you the purchasing cost of 541.25
x+0.0825x=541.25
Step 3: x+0.0825x=541.25
1.0825x=541.25
1.0825 1.0825
x = 500
Step 4: If you add on 8.25% tax to 500, you would get 541.25.
 EXAMPLE 3:
Problem: In a blueprint of a rectangular room, the length is 1 inch more than 3
times the width. Find the dimensions if the perimeter is to be 26 inches.
Step 1: Make sure that you read the Step 3: 26=2(1+3w)+2w
question carefully several 26=2+6w+2w
times.
26=2+8w
We are looking for the length and
width of the rectangle. Since length 26-2=2+8w-2
can be written in terms of width, we 24=8w
will let 3=w
w = width Step 4: If width is 3, then length, which is
length is 1 inch more than 3 1 inch more than 3 times the width
times the width: would have to be 10. The perimeter of
1+3w=length a rectangle with width of 3 inches and
Step 2: Perimeter = 2(length)+2(width) length of 10 inches does come out to
be 26.
26=2(1+3w)+2w