Reasoning and Problem Solving

1. Reasoning
Reasoning starts with building an argument which is a series of statements typically used to
persuade someone into accepting a conclusion. We discuss two types of reasoning used to
construct effective mathematical reasoning. These are inductive reasoning and deductive
reasoning.

Inductive Reasoning
Inductive reasoning is characterized by coming up with a conjecture. A conjecture is
generally an educated guess concluded from repeated observations of specific situations. We
say that a conjecture is valid if the conjecture always holds. We say that it is invalid if we can
find a specific situation that disproves the conjecture. To debunk its validity, it only takes one
counterexample. A counterexample to a conjecture is a situation or a specific case which
shows that the conjecture is false.

Deductive Reasoning
Deductive reasoning is the process of reasoning logically from an established generalization
into making a conclusion. It is characterized by applying general principles to specific situations;
and for as long as the general principle being used is true for all cases and the arguments are
valid, then it is guaranteed that the conclusion is also true.

2. Problem Solving
Among the popular proponents of problem solving, George Polya (1945) indicated that “A
question is considered a problem if the procedure or method of solution is not immediately
known but requires one to apply creativity and previous knowledge in new and unfamiliar
situation.”

According to the National Council of Teachers in Mathematics (NCTM, 2000, p.52), “problem
solving means engaging in a task for which the solution is not known in advance. In order to find
a solution, students must draw on their knowledge or previous experiences and through this
process; they will often develop new mathematical understandings.”

A problem can be classified as either a routine or a non-routine problem.

Routine Problems
A routine problem is one that may be solved by some algorithm or procedure that involves the
use of mathematical operations and applied to a particular situation. These are the kinds of
problems that are usually encountered in a typical mathematics classroom. Often, solving a
routine problem requires applying an established generalization.

Non-Routine Problems
Non-routine problems are those where we do not readily have an idea on how to solve it, or
those that seem to be easy but are actually tricky; they are almost like puzzles. Such problems
may be solved in different ways or strategies and some may have more than one answer or
solution. Solving a non-routine problem usually involves common sense, observations, and own
strategy of the solver; it requires little or no use of algorithms.