Reasoning and Problem Solving: Module Overview

Study Guide in Mathematics in the Modern World FM-AA-CIA-15 Rev.
0 10-July-2020
GE7 Mathematics in the Modern World Module 3 : Reasoning and Problem Solving
MODULE 3
REASONING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
MODULE OVERVIEW
This module consist of three lessons: Inductive and Deductive Reasoning, Polya’s Problem Solving
Strategy, Recreational Problems using Mathematics. Each lesson was designed as a self-teaching
guide. Definitions of terms and examples had been incorporated. Answering the problems in “your
turn” will check your progress. You may compare your answers to the solutions provided at the later
part of this module in that way you will be able to measure your achievement and as well as the
effectiveness of the module. Exercises were prepared as your assignment to deepen your
understanding about the topics.
MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the module, you should be able to:

 Use different types of reasoning to justify statements and arguments made about mathematics
and mathematical concepts.
 Solve problems involving problems and recreational problems following Polya’s four steps.
 Organize one’s methods and approaches to proving and solving problems.
LEARNING CONTENTS (INDUCTIVE AND DEDUCTIVE REASONING)
Introduction
Mathematics has always been seen as a tool for problem solving. Math by nature is based on
logical and valid reasoning so that it used for decision – making. A good decision maker is one who
can find resolution using his/ her reasoning ability and mathematical strategy. In this chapter, you
will learn to organize your own methods and approaches to solve mathematical problems.
Discussion
Lesson 1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
Inductive Reasoning
The type of reasoning that uses specific examples to reach a general conclusion is called
inductive reasoning. The conclusion formed by using inductive reasoning is called conjecture which
may or may not correct. For instance, the following are examples of inductive reasoning:
- Jenny leaves for school at 7:00 am. Jenny is always on time.
Therefore, Jenny assumes then that if she leaves for school at 7:00 am., she will
always be on time.
The conclusion, however, may not be accurate because Jenny would have still
be late even she leaves early due to she might encounter some unexpected
circumstances causing her to be late.
PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 1

Study Guide in Mathematics in the Modern World FM-AA-CIA-15 Rev. 0 10-July-2020
- The chair in the living room is red . The chair in the dining room is red . The chair
in the bedroom is red. Therefore, all chairs in the house are red.
The conclusion, however, may not be correct. There might some other chair/s
in that house that is/are not red.
Even when you examine a list of numbers and predict the next number in the list according to some
pattern you have observed, you are also using inductive reasoning.
Example 1 Use Inductive Reasoning to Predict a Number
a. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, ? b. 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, ?
Solution
a. Each successive number is 3 larger than the preceding number. Thus we predict that
the next number in the list is 3 larger than 15, which is 18.
b. The first two numbers differ by 2. The second and the third numbers differ by 3.
It appears that the difference between any two numbers is always 1 more than the preceding
difference. Since 10 and 15 differ by 5, we predict that the next number in the list will be 6 larger
than 15, which is 21.
.
Your turn 1 Use inductive reasoning to predict the next number in each of the
following lists.
a. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, ? b. 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, ?
Example 2 Use inductive reasoning to make a conjecture out of the following

procedure.
1. Pick a number.
2. Multiply the number by 8,
3. Add 6 to the product
4. Divide the sum by 2
5. And subtract 3.
Complete the above procedure for several different numbers. Use inductive reasoning to make a
conjecture about the relationship between the size of the resulting number and the size of the original
number.
Solution
Suppose we pick 5 as our original number. Then the procedure would produce the following results:
Original number: 5
Multiply by 8: 8 ×5=40
Add 6: 40+ 6=46
Divide by 2: 46 ÷ 2=23
Subtract 3: 23−3=20

We started with 5 and followed the procedure to produce 20. Starting with 6 as our original number
produces a fi nal result of 24. Starting with 10 produces a final result of 40. Starting with 100
produces a final result of 400. In each of these cases the resulting number is four times the original
number. We conjecture that following the given procedure produces a number that is four times the
original number.
Your turn 2 Consider the following procedure: Pick a number. Multiply the number by 9,
add 15 to the product, divide the sum by 3, and subtract 5. Complete the above
procedure for several different numbers. Use inductive reasoning
to make a conjecture about the relationship between the size of the resulting number and the size of
the original number.
Scientists often use inductive reasoning. For instance, Galileo Galilei (1564– 1642) used inductive
reasoning to discover that the time required for a pendulum to complete one swing, called the period
of the pendulum, depends on the length of the pendulum. Galileo did not have a clock, so he
measured the periods of pendulums in “heartbeats.” The following table shows some results obtained
for pendulums of various lengths. For the sake of convenience, a length of 10 inches has been
designated as 1 unit.
Length of pendulum, Period of pendulum,

in units in heartbeats
1 1
4 2
9 3
16 4
25 5
36 6
Example 3 Use the data in the table and inductive reasoning to answer each of the
following questions.
a. If a pendulum has a length of 49 units, what is its period?

b. If the length of a pendulum is quadrupled, what happens to its period?
Solution
a. In the table, each pendulum has a period that is the square root of its length. Thus we conjecture
that a pendulum with a length of 49 units will have a period of 7 heartbeats.
b. In the table, a pendulum with a length of 4 units has a period that is twice that of a pendulum with
a length of 1 unit. A pendulum with a length of 16 units has a period that is twice that of a pendulum
with a length of 4 units. It appears that quadrupling the length of a pendulum doubles its period.
Your turn 3
A tsunami is a sea wave produced by an underwater earthquake. The height of a tsunami as it

approaches land depends on the velocity of the tsunami. Use the table at the left and inductive
reasoning to answer each of the following questions.
a. What happens to the height of a tsunami when its velocity is doubled?

b. What should be the height of a tsunami if its velocity is 30 feet per second?
Conclusions based on inductive reasoning may not always be true. In other words, a conjecture
formed by using inductive reasoning may be incorrect. To illustrate this , consider the results below,
11×(1) ( 101 )=1111

11 × ( 2 ) ( 101 )=2222
11 × ( 3 )( 101 )=3333
11×(4 ) ( 101 )=4444
11 × ( 5 )( 101 )=5555
11 × ( 6 )( 101 )=?
Simple arithmetic shows that the answer is 6666; hence it is conjectured that the product of 11 and a
multiple of 101 is number where all digits are equal. But is 11× n ( 101 )=nnn true for all n, (n , a
natural number)?
Suppose n=10 . Then 11 ×10 ( 101 )=11,110 which obviously does not satisfy the
previous conclusion. This method of disproving a statement is to give a counterexample .
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 4 Find a counterexample. Verify that each of the following statements is a

false statement by finding counterexample. For all number x:
a. |x| > 0
b. x 2> x
c. √ x 2 ¿ x
Solution
A statement may have many counterexamples, but we need only find one counterexample to
verify that the statement is false.
a. Let x=0. Then|0|=0. Because 0 is not greater than 0, we have found a counterexample. Thus “for
all numbers x, |x| > 0 ” is a false statement.
b. For x=1 we have 12=1. Since 1 is not greater than 1, we have found a counterexample. Thus “for
all numbers x, x 2> x ” is a false statement.
c. Consider x=−3. Then √ (−3)2= √9=3. Since 3 is not equal to −3, we have found a

2
counterexample. Thus “for all numbers √ x ¿ x” is a false statement.
Your turn 4
Verify that each of the following statements is a false statement by finding a
counterexample for each.
For all numbers x:
x
a. =1
x
x+3
b. = x+1
3
c. √ x 2+16=x +4
Deductive Reasoning
Another type of reasoning is called deductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning is
distinguished
from inductive reasoning in that it is the process of reaching a conclusion by applying general
principles and procedures . For instance, the following are examples of deductive reasoning:
- All squares are rectangle. All rectangles have four angles.

Therefore, logic tells us that all squares have four right angles.
- All dogs have good sense of smell. Blackeye is a dog.

Therefore, using deductive reasoning tells us that Blackeye has a good sense of smell.
Example 5 Use deductive reasoning to show that the following procedure produces a
number that is four times the original number.
Procedure:
1. Pick a number. Note that Example 5 is the
2. Multiply the number by 8, same as Example 2 except
3. add 6 to the product, that in this example
4. divide the sum by 2, deductive reasoning is
5.. and subtract 3. used.
Solution
Let n represent the original number.
Multiply the number by 8: 8 n
Add 6 to the product: 8 n+6
8 n+6
Divide the sum by 2: =4 n+3
2
Subtract 3: 4 n+3−3=4 n
We started with n and ended with 4n. The procedure given in this example produces a number that
is four times the original number.
Your turn 5 STATE UNIVERSITY

PANGASINAN 5
Use deductive reasoning to show that the following procedure produces a number that is three times
the original number.
Procedure:
1. Pick a number.
2. Multiply the number by 6,
3. add 10 to the product,
4. divide the sum by 2,
5.and subtract 5.
Hint: Let n represent the original number.
Logic Puzzles
Logic puzzles can be solved by using deductive reasoning and a chart that enables us to
display the given information in a visual manner.
Example 6 Solve a Logic Puzzle
Each of four neighbors, Sean, Maria, Sarah, and Brian, has a different occupation (editor,
banker, chef, or dentist). From the following clues, determine the occupation of each neighbor.
1. Maria gets home from work after the banker but before the dentist.
2. Sarah, who is the last to get home from work, is not the editor.
3. The dentist and Sarah leave for work at the same time.
4. The banker lives next door to Brian.
Solution
From clue 1, Maria is not the banker or the dentist. In the following chart, write (which stands for
“ruled out by clue 1”) in the Banker and the Dentist columns of Maria’s row.
Editor Banker Chef Dentist

Sean
Maria X1 X1
Sarah
Brian
From clue 2, Sarah is not the editor. Write X2 (ruled out by clue 2) in the Editor column of Sarah’s
row. We know from clue 1 that the banker is not the last to get home, and we know from clue 2 that
Sarah is the last to get home; therefore, Sarah is not the banker. Write X2 in the Banker column of
Sarah’s row.

Sean
Maria X1 X1
Sarah X2 X2
Brian

From clue 3, Sarah is not the dentist. Write X3 for this condition. There are now Xs for three of the
four occupations in Sarah’s row; therefore, Sarah must be the chef. Place a √ in that box. Since Sarah
is the chef, none of the other three people can be the chef. Write X3 for these conditions. There are
now Xs for three of the four occupations in Maria’s row; therefore, Maria must be the editor. Insert a
√ to indicate that Maria is the editor, and write X3 twice to indicate that neither Sean nor Brian is the
editor.

Sean X3 X3
Maria √ X1 X3 X1
Sarah X2 X2 √ X3
Brian X3 X3
From clue 4, Brian is not the banker. Write X4 for this condition. Since there are three Xs in the
Banker column, Sean must be the banker. Place a √ in that box. Thus Sean cannot be the dentist.
Write X4 in that box. Since there are 3 Xs in the Dentist column, Brian must be the dentist. Place a √
in that box.
Sean X3 √ X3 X4
Maria √ X1 X3 X1
Sarah X2 X2 √ X3
Brian X3 X4 X3 √
Sean is the banker, Maria is the editor, Sarah is the chef, and Brian is the dentist
Brianna, Ryan, Tyler, and Ashley were recently elected as the new class
Your turn 6 officers (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer) of the sophomore class
at Summit College. From the following clues, determine which position each
holds.
1. Ashley is younger than the president but older than the treasurer.
2. Brianna and the secretary are both the same age, and they are the youngest members
of the group.
3. Tyler and the secretary are next-door neighbors.
LEARNING POINTS
The type of reasoning that uses specific examples to reach a general conclusion is called inductive
reasoning . The conclusion formed by using inductive reasoning is called conjecture which
may or may not correct.
Deductive reasoning is distinguished from inductive reasoning in that it is the process of reaching a
conclusion by applying general principles and procedures
LEARNING ACTIVITY 1
In exercises 1 to 4. Use inductive reasoning to predict the next number in each of the following

lists.
1. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, ___
3 5 7 9 11 13
2. , , , , , , ______
5 7 9 11 13 15
3. 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, ____
4. 2 ,7 ,−3 , 2 ,−8 ,−3 ,−13 ,−8 ,−18, __
5. 1 , 8 ,27 ,64 ,125 ,¿
6. 80 , 70 , 61, 53 , 46 , 40 , _____
7. 1 ,5 , 12 , 22, 35 , ______
In exercises 8 to 11. Determine whether the argument is an example of inductive reasoning or

deductive reasoning.
6. Emma enjoyed reading the novel Under the Dome by Stephen King, so she will enjoy reading his
next novel.
8. All pentagons have exactly five sides. Figure A is a pentagon. Therefore, Figure A has exactly fi ve
sides.
9. Every English setter likes to hunt. Duke is an English setter, so Duke likes to hunt.
10. Cats don’t eat tomatoes. Tigger is a cat. Therefore, Tigger does not eat tomatoes.
11. Two computer programs, a bubble sort and a shell sort, are used to sort data. In each of 50
experiments, the shell sort program took less time to sort the data than did the bubble sort program.
Thus the shell sort program is the faster of the two sorting programs.
In exercises 12 to 16. Verify that each of the following statements is a false statement by
finding a counterexample for each.
12. ( x + y )2 =x2 + y 2
13. For all x, |x +3|=|x|+3
14. For all x, x + x> x
(x +1)( x−1)
15. For all number x , =x +1
(x −1)
16. For all numbers x ,−x < x .
In exercises 17 to 18. Use the data in the table and by inductive reasoning , answer the
following question below.
Max. Tsunami
Earthquake Magnitude
Height(meters)
7.5 5
7.6 9
7.7 13
7.8 17
7.9 21
8.0 25
8.1 29
8.2 33
8.3 37
17. if the earthquake magnitude is 8.5, how high (in meters) can the tsunami be?

18. Can a tsunami occur when the earthquake magnitude is less than 7? Explain you answer.
19. Use deductive reasoning to show that the following procedure always produces the number 5.
Procedure: Pick a number. Add 4 to the number and
multiply the sum by 3. Subtract 7 and then decrease this
difference by the triple of the original number.
20. Solve a logic puzzle .

Each of the four friends Donna, Sarah, Nickkie, and Xhanelle , has a different pet(fish, cat,
dog, and snake). From the following clues, determine the pet of each individual.
1. Sarah is older than her friend who owns the cat and younger than her friend who owns the
dog.
2. Nikkie and her friend who owns the snake are both of the same age and are the youngest
members of their group.
3. Donna is older than her friend who owns the fish.
LEARNING CONTENTS (POLYA’S PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGY)
Lesson 2. Polya’s Problem Solving Strategy

One of the foremost recent mathematicians to make a study of problem solving was George
Polya (1887–1985). He was born in Hungary and moved to the United States in 1940.In his book
How to Solve It”, George Polya enumerates the four steps of problem –solving :
1. Understand the problem.

2. Devise a plan.
3. Carry out the plan.
4. Review the solution.
Understand the Problem This part of Polya’s four-step strategy is often overlooked. You must have
a clear understanding of the problem. To help you focus on understanding the problem, consider the
following questions.
■ Can you restate the problem in your own words?
■ Can you determine what is known about these types of problems?
■ Is there missing information that, if known, would allow you to solve the problem?
■ Is there extraneous information that is not needed to solve the problem?
■ What is the goal?
Devise a Plan Successful problem solvers use a variety of techniques when they attempt to solve a
problem. Here are some frequently used procedures.
■ Make a list of the known information.
■ Make a list of information that is needed.
■ Draw a diagram.
■ Make an organized list that shows all the possibilities.
■ Make a table or a chart.
■ Work backwards.
■ Try to solve a similar but simpler problem.
■ Look for a pattern.

■ Write an equation. If necessary, define what each variable represents.

■ Perform an experiment.
■ Guess at a solution and then check your result.
Carry Out the Plan Once you have devised a plan, you must carry it out.
■ Work carefully.
■ Keep an accurate and neat record of all your attempts.
■ Realize that some of your initial plans will not work and that you may have to devise
another plan or modify your existing plan.
Review the Solution Once you have found a solution, check the solution.
■ Ensure that the solution is consistent with the facts of the problem.
■ Interpret the solution in the context of the problem.
■ Ask yourself whether there are generalizations of the solution that could apply toother
problems.
HISTORICAL
NOTE
Example 1 Apply Polya’s Strategy
Leonardo da Vinci was a famous artist during the 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 the fifty-fourth part of
the man.” Suppose the distance from the top pf the chin of the person is 1.2 inches. Using Leonardo
da Vinci’s measurements, find the height of the person.
Solution
Understand the Problem. Obviously, one needs to find the height of the person in this problem.
Devise a Plan. Let x represent the unknown height of the person. Write an equation satisfying da
Vinci’s measurements.
Carry Out the Plan.

Let x=height of the person
Equation
1
x=1.2
54
x=64.8∈¿ 5.4 ft
Thus, the person is 5.4 fttall
Review the solution. The solution is quite simple. . Now check your progress- follow Leonardo da
Vinci’s measurements to find your best friend’s height .
Your turn 1 An agency charged ₱15, 000 for a 3-day and 2-night tour in Macau and
₱20,000 for the same tour with a side trip to Hongkong(HK). Ten persons
joined the trip, which enable them to collect ₱170,000 . How many tourist made a side trip
to Hongkong ?
Example 2 STATE UNIVERSITY

PANGASINAN 10
A baseball team won two out of their last four games. In how many different orders could they have
two wins and two losses in four games?
Solution
Understand the Problem . There are many different orders. The team may have won two straight
games and lost the last two (WWLL). Or maybe they lost the fi rst two games and won the last two
(LLWW). Of course there are other possibilities, such as WLWL.
Devise a Plan. We will make an organized list of all the possible orders. An organized list is a list
that is produced using a system that ensures that each of the different orders will be listed once and
only once.
Carry Out the Plan. Each entry in our list must contain two Ws and two Ls. We will use a strategy
that makes sure each order is considered, with no duplications. One such strategy is to always write a
W unless doing so will produce too many Ws or a duplicate of one of the previous orders. If it is not
possible to write a W, then and only then do we write an L. This strategy produces the six different
orders shown below.
1. WWLL (Start with two wins)
2. WLWL (Start with one win)
3. WLLW
4. LWWL (Start with one loss)
5. LWLW
6. LLWW (Start with two losses)
Review the Solution . We have made an organized list. The list has no duplicates and the list
considers all possibilities, so we are confident that there are six different orders in which a baseball
team can win exactly two out of four games.
A true-false quiz contains five questions. In how many ways can a student
Your turn 2 answer the questions if the student answers two of the questions
with “false” and the other three with “true”?
In consecutive turns of a Monopoly game, Stacy fi rst paid $800 for a hotel.
Example 3 She then lost half her money when she landed on Boardwalk. Next, she
collected $200 for passing GO. She then lost half her remaining money when she landed on Illinois
Avenue. Stacy now has $2500. How much did she have just before she purchased the hotel?
Solution
Understand the Problem. We need to determine the number of dollars that Stacy had just prior to
her $800 hotel purchase.
Devise a Plan. We could guess and check, but we might need to make several guesses before we
found the correct solution. An algebraic method might work, but setting up the necessary equation
could be a challenge. Since we know the end result, let’s try the method of working backwards.
Carry Out the Plan. Stacy must have had $5000 just before she landed on Illinois Avenue; $4800
just before she passed GO; and $9600 prior to landing on Boardwalk. This means she had $10,400
just before she purchased the hotel.

Review the Solution. To check our solution we start with $10,400 and proceed through each of the
transactions. $10,400 less $800 is $9600. Half of $9600 is $4800. $4800 increased by $200 is $5000.
Half of $5000 is $2500.
Your turn 3 Melody picks a number. She doubles the number, squares the result, divides
the square by 3, subtracts 30 from the quotient, and gets 18. What are the
possible numbers that Melody could have picked? What operation does Melody perform that
prevents us from knowing with 100% certainty which number she picked?
George Polya enumerates

LEARNING POINTS the four steps of problem –solving :
1. Understand the problem.
2. Devise a plan.
3. Carry out the plan.
4. Review the solution
LEARNING ACTIVITY 2
Apply Polya’s Strategy to solve the following problem.

1. The product of the ages, in years, of three teenagers is 4,590. None of the teens are the same age.
What are the ages of the teenagers?
2. An investor bought 20 shares of stock for a total cost of $1200 and then sold all the shares for
$1400. A few months later, the investor bought 25 shares of the same stock for a total cost of $1800
and then sold all the shares for $1900. How much money did the investor earn on these investments?
3. If two ladders are placed end to end, their combined height is 31.5 feet. One ladder is 6.5 feet
shorter than the other ladder. What are the heights of the two ladders?
4. In the movie Die Hard: With a Vengeance, Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson are given a 5-
gallon jug and a 3-gallon jug and they must put exactly 4 gallons of water on a scale to keep a bomb
from exploding. Explain how they could accomplish this feat.
5. In a basketball league consisting of 12 teams, each team plays each of the other teams
exactly twice. How many league games will be played?
6. How many children are there in a family wherein each girl has as many brothers as sisters, but
each boy has twice as many sisters as brothers?

LEARNING CONTENTS ( RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS USING MATHEMATICS)
Lesson 3. Recreational Problems Using Mathematics

Mathematics can also be used to solve some recreational activities such as :
o Soduko
o Magic Square
o KenKen Puzzle
o Tower of Hanoi
Sudoku Puzzle
Sudoku Puzzle -is a logic-based, combinatorial number-placement puzzle. The objective is to
fill a 9×9 grid with digits so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3 subgrids that
compose the grid contains all of the digits from 1 to 9 .
Solve the following soduko puzzle.
Magic Square
A magic square is a square array of numbers consisting of the distinct positive integers 1, 2,
3,… arranged such that the sum of n numbers in any horizontal , vertical, and main diagonal line is
always the same .
The magic square below has order 3, and the sum of the numbers in each row, column, and
diagonal is 15.
KenKen Puzzles
KenKen® is an arithmetic-based logic puzzle that was invented by the Japanese mathematics
teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto in 2004. The noun “ken” has “knowledge” and “awareness” as synonyms.
Hence, KenKen translates as knowledge squared, or awareness squared.
Rules for Solving a KenKen Puzzle

For a 3 by 3 puzzle, fill in each box (square) of the grid with one of the numbers 1, 2, or 3.

For a 4 by 4 puzzle, fill in each square of the grid with one of the numbers 1, 2, 3, or 4.
For a n by n puzzle, fill in each square of the grid with one of the numbers 1, 2, 3, ... , n.
Grids range in size from a 3 by 3 up to a 9 by 9.

• Do not repeat a number in any row or column.
• The numbers in each heavily outlined set of squares, called cages, must combine (in some order) to
produce the target number in the top left corner of the cage using the mathematical operation
indicated.
• Cages with just one square should be filled in with the target number.
• A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not in the same row or column.
Here is a 4 by 4 puzzle and its solution. Properly constructed puzzles have a unique solution.
Basic Puzzle Solution Strategies

Single-Square Cages Fill cages that consist of a single square with the target number for that square.
Cages with Two Squares Next examine the cages with exactly two squares. Many cages that cover
two squares will only have two digits that can be used to fill the cage. For instance, in a 5 by 5
puzzle, a 20 × cage with exactly two squares can only be filled with 4 and 5 or 5 and 4.
Large or Small Target Numbers Search for cages that have an unusually large or small target
number. These cages generally have only a few combinations of numbers that can be used to fill the
cage.
Tower of Hanoi
Another equally famous problem involving patterns is the Tower of Hanoi, invented by Edouard
Lucas in 1883. The Tower of Hanoi is a puzzle consisting of three pegs and a number of disks of
distinct diameters piled as shown in the figure below

The puzzle requires that all the disks be moved from first peg to the third peg such that the largest
disk is on the bottom , the next largest disk is placed on top of the largest disk and so on and that
only one disk be moved at a time . All pegs may be used. Note: You can use a stack of various size
coins to simulate the puzzle, or you can use one of the many websites that provide a simulation of
the puzzle. Ex. https://www.mathisfun.com/games/towerofhanoi.html)
LEARNING POINTS
Sudoku Puzzle -is a logic-based, combinatorial number-placement puzzle. The objective is to fill
a 9×9 grid with digits so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3 subgrids that
compose the grid contains all of the digits from 1 to 9
A magic square is a square array of numbers consisting of the distinct positive integers 1, 2, 3,…
arranged such that the sum of n numbers in any horizontal , vertical, and main diagonal line is
always the same .
KenKen® is an arithmetic-based logic puzzle that was invented by the Japanese mathematics
teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto in 2004. The noun “ken” has “knowledge” and “awareness” as
synonyms. Hence, KenKen translates as knowledge squared, or awareness squared.
The Tower of Hanoi puzzle requires that all the disks be moved from first peg to the third peg
such that the largest disk is on the bottom , the next largest disk is placed on top of the largest
disk and so on and that only one disk be moved at a time . All pegs may be used .
LEARNING ACTIVITY 23
1. Sudoku is a deductive reasoning, number placement puzzle. The object in a 6 by 6 mini-Sudoku

puzzle is to fill all empty squares so that the counting numbers 1 to 6 appear exactly once in each
row, each column, and each of the 2 by 3 regions, which are delineated by the thick line segments.
Solve the following 6 by 6 mini-Sudoku puzzle.
In exercises 6 to 9. Solve each of the following puzzles.
6. 7.

8. 9.
10. Play the Tower of Hanoi and determine the minimum number of moves required to transfer the
disks from the peg to the third peg for each of the following situations .
a. You start with only one disk.
b. You start with two disks.
c. You start with three disks. (Note: You can use a
stack of various size coins to simulate the puzzle, or
you can use one of the many websites that provide a simulation of the puzzle. Ex.
https://www.mathisfun.com/games/towerofhanoi.html)
d. You start with four disks.
e. You start with fi ve disks.
f. You start with n disks.
REFERENCES
References :
 Blay et. all, Mathematical Trips in the Modern World Outcomes-Based Approach
 Nocon et. al , Essential Mathematics for the Modern World
 Baltazar et. al, Mathematics in the Modern World
 Aufman,Richard et. al, Mathematics in the Modern World
 Mathematics in the World book from RBSI
 Domantay,Gloria, et. al. College Algebra
Photo credits:
Venn diagram worksheet, mathaids.com

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ANSWERS TO YOUR TURN EXERCISES
Answer to Your Turn (Lesson 1)
1. a. Each successive number is 5 larger than the preceding number. Thus we predict that the next
number in the list is 5 larger than 25, which is 30.
b. The fi rst two numbers differ by 3. The second and third numbers differ by 5. It appears that
the difference between any two numbers is always 2 more than the preceding difference.
Thus we predict that the next number will be 11 more than 26, which is 37.
2× 9+15
2. If the original number is 2, then −5=6, which is three times the original number.
3
7 ×9+15
If the original number is 7, then −5=21 ,which is three times the original number.
3
12× 9+15
If the original number is −12, then −5=−36 which is three times the original number.
3
It appears, by inductive reasoning, that the procedure produces a number that is three times the
original number.
3. a. It appears that when the velocity of a tsunami is doubled, its height is quadrupled.
b. A tsunami with a velocity of 30 feet per second will have a height that is four times that of a
tsunami with a speed of 15 feet per second. Thus, we predict a height of 4 ×25=100 feet for
a tsunami with a velocity of 30 feet per second.
x
4. a. Let x=0 . Then ≠1 ,because division by 0 is undefi ned.
x
x+3 1+3 4
b. Let x=1 .Then = = , whereas x +1=1+1=2
3 3 3
2 2
c. Let x=3 . Then √ x +16=√ 3 +16= √ 25=5 ,whereas x +4=3+ 4=7.
5. Let n represent the original number.

Multiply the number by 6: 6n
Add 10 to the product: 6 n+10
6 n+10
Divide the sum by 2: =3 n+5
2
Subtract 5: 3 n+5−5=3 n
The procedure always produces a number that is three times the original number.
6. From clue 1, we know that Ashley is not the president or the treasurer. In the following chart, write X1

(which stands for “ruled out by clue 1”) in the President and Treasurer columns of Ashley’s row.
Pres. V.P Sec. Treas.
Brianna
Ryan
Tyler
Ashley X1 X1
From clue 2, Brianna is not the secretary. We know from clue 1 that the president is not the
youngest, and we know from clue 2 that Brianna and the secretary are the youngest members of the
group. Thus Brianna is not the president. In the chart, write X2 for these two conditions. Also we
know from clues 1 and 2 that Ashley is not the secretary, because she is older than the treasurer.
Write an X2 in the Secretary column of Ashley’s row.
Brianna X2 X2
Ryan
Tyler
Ashley X1 X2 X1
At this point we see that Ashley must be the vice president and that none of the other members is the
vice president. Thus we can update the chart as shown below.
Brianna X2 X2 X2
Ryan X2
Tyler X2
Ashley X1 √ X2 X1
Now we can see that Brianna must be the treasurer and that neither Ryan nor Tyler is the treasurer.
Update the chart as shown below.
Brianna X2 X2 X2 √
Ryan X2 X2
Tyler X2 X2
Ashley X1 √ X2 X1
From clue 3, we know that Tyler is not the secretary. Thus we can conclude that Tyler is the president and Ryan must be
the secretary. See the chart below.
Brianna X2 X2 X2 √
Ryan X3 X2 √ X2
Tyler √ X2 X3 X2
Ashley X1 √ X2 X1
Tyler is the president, Ashley is the vice president, Ryan is the secretary, and Brianna is the
treasurer.
Answer to Your Turn (Lesson 2)

1. Understand the Problem . There are two types of tourist in the situation given . Some purely stayed in
Macau while others made a side trip to HK. From the total collection, how much was the amount collected
from those who purely stayed in Macau and how much was collected from those who made the side trips to
HK.It is needed to know how many were bound for Macau who made a side trip to HK.
Devise a Plan . Use x and y to represent the two types of tourists . Define these variables . Let x be the
number of tourist bound for Macau alone and y be the number of tourist bound for Macau but who made a
side trip to Hongkong. Hence, we have the following algebraic equations:
₱15,000 x=¿ amount collected from the tourist bound for Macau alone
₱15,000 y=¿ amount collected from the tourist bound for Macau but who made a side trip to HK
Carry Out a Plan . Write the equation and solve using elimination method system of equations.
Equations:
x + y=10 Equation 1
15,000 x+20,000 y =170,000 Equation 1
To find the number of tourists for Macau but who made a side trip to HK, we solve for y .
To do this , we use elimination by substitution.
a. Solve for y in Equation 1

x + y=10
y=10−x Equation 3
b. Substitute y=10−x in Equation 2

15,000 x+20,000 ( 10−x )=170,000
15,000 x+200,000−20,000 x=170,000
−5,000 x=170,000−200,000
−5,000 x=−30,000
−30,000
x=
−5000
x=6
Substituting x=6 in Equation 3, y=4

Therefore, four tourists made a side trip to HK.
Review the Solution . Since there are total of 10 tourists, six of them only stayed in Macau while
four made a side trip to HK . Now, 15,000(6)+20,000( 4)=170,000 . This satisfy the condition that the
total amount collected for the whole trip is ₱ 170,000 .
2. Understand the Problem There are several ways to answer the questions so that two answers are
“false” and three answers are “true.” One way is TTTFF and another is FFTTT.
Devise a Plan Make an organized list. Try the strategy of listing a T unless doing so will produce too
many Ts or a duplicate of one of the previous orders in your list.
Carry Out the Plan (Start with three Ts in a row.)

TTTFF (1)
TTFTF (2)
TTFFT (3)
TFTTF (4)
TFTFT (5)

TFFTT (6)
FTTTF (7)
FTTFT (8)
FTFTT (9)
FFTTT (10)
Review the Solution Each entry in the list has two Fs and three Ts. Since the list is complete and has
no duplications, we know that there are 10 ways for a student to mark two questions with “false” and
the other three with “true.
3. Understand the Problem. We are asked to find the possible numbers that Melody could have
started with.
Devise a Plan. Work backward from 18 and do the inverse of each operation that Melody performed.
Carry Out the Plan . To get 18, Melody subtracted 30 from a number, so that number was
18+30=48. To get 48, she divided a number by 3, so that number was 48 × 3=144.To get 144, she
squared a number. She could have squared either 12 or −12 ¿ produce 144. If the number she
squared was 12, then she must have doubled 6 to get 12. If the number she squared was -12, then the
number she doubled was −6.
Review the Solution .We can check by starting with 6 or −6 If we do exactly as Melody did, we end
up with 18. The operation that prevents us from knowing with 100% certainty which number she
started with is the squaring operation. We have no way of knowing whether the number she squared
was a positive number or a negative number.

Reasoning and Problem Solving: Module Overview

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Study Guide in Mathematics in the Modern World FM-AA-CIA-15 Rev.

REASONING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the module, you should be able to:

LEARNING CONTENTS (INDUCTIVE AND DEDUCTIVE REASONING)

Lesson 1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 1

Example 1 Use Inductive Reasoning to Predict a Number

a. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, ? b. 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, ?

a. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, ? b. 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, ?

Example 2 Use inductive reasoning to make a conjecture out of the following

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 2

Length of pendulum, Period of pendulum,

a. If a pendulum has a length of 49 units, what is its period?

A tsunami is a sea wave produced by an underwater earthquake. The height of a tsunami as it

a. What happens to the height of a tsunami when its velocity is doubled?

11×(1) ( 101 )=1111

Example 4 Find a counterexample. Verify that each of the following statements is a

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 4

- All squares are rectangle. All rectangles have four angles.

- All dogs have good sense of smell. Blackeye is a dog.

Your turn 5 STATE UNIVERSITY

Example 6 Solve a Logic Puzzle

Editor Banker Chef Dentist

Editor Banker Chef Dentist

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 6

Editor Banker Chef Dentist

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 7

In exercises 8 to 11. Determine whether the argument is an example of inductive reasoning or

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 8

20. Solve a logic puzzle .

LEARNING CONTENTS (POLYA’S PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGY)

Lesson 2. Polya’s Problem Solving Strategy

1. Understand the problem.

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 9

■ Write an equation. If necessary, define what each variable represents.

Carry Out the Plan.

Thus, the person is 5.4 fttall

Example 2 STATE UNIVERSITY

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 11

George Polya enumerates

Apply Polya’s Strategy to solve the following problem.

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 12

LEARNING CONTENTS ( RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS USING MATHEMATICS)

Lesson 3. Recreational Problems Using Mathematics

Rules for Solving a KenKen Puzzle

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 13

Grids range in size from a 3 by 3 up to a 9 by 9.

Basic Puzzle Solution Strategies

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 14

1. Sudoku is a deductive reasoning, number placement puzzle. The object in a 6 by 6 mini-Sudoku

In exercises 6 to 9. Solve each of the following puzzles.

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 15

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 16

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ANSWERS TO YOUR TURN EXERCISES

Answer to Your Turn (Lesson 1)

5. Let n represent the original number.

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 17

Answer to Your Turn (Lesson 2)

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 18

a. Solve for y in Equation 1

b. Substitute y=10−x in Equation 2