Problem Solving

14/04/2023
Topic Outline I. Polya’s Strategy

I. Polya’s Strategy POLYA’S STRATEGY
George Polya, known as the father of modern problem
solving, created his famous four-step process for
II. Problem Solving Strategies problem solving.
III. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning Understand the

• Have a clear understanding of the problem.
Problem
• Enumerate the steps to be taken to solve the problem: List down

IV. Mathematical Problems involving Patterns Device a Plan
the given information, use variables to represent unknowns,
translate to mathematical sentences, draw, create a table, etc.
V. Recreational Problems using Mathematics • Carry out the plan carefully and accurately, taking note all
Carry out the
Plan
the attempts.
• Ensure the solution is consistent with the facts of the problem,

Review the
interpret the solution in the context of the problem, review the
Solution details, and check the validity of the final answer.
Copyright 2018: Mathematics in the Modern World by Winston S. Sirug, Ph.D. Copyright 2018: Mathematics in the Modern World by Winston S. Sirug, Ph.D.
II. Problem Solving Strategies GUESS AND CHECK

I. Guess and Check (Trial and Error) MAGIC SQUARE:
Fill in the small boxes with digits 1 – 9 such that each

II. Picture/Diagram/Experiment
horizontal, vertical, and diagonal line of numbers must
add up to the same sum.
III. Working Backwards
IV. Looking for Patterns
V. Listing/Tabular
VI. Algebraic Equations
VII. Logical Reasoning

MAKE AN ORDERLY LIST MAKE AN ORDERLY LIST
HANDSHAKE PROBLEM: DART BOARD:
In a party there are 8 people. If everyone at the party How many different total scores could you make if you hit
shakes hands with everyone else, how many handshakes the dart board shown with 3 darts?
would there be?. 10
5
1
1
14/04/2023
MAKE AN ORDERLY LIST DRAW A DIAGRAM

Number of Number of Number of
Total Score GRIL SCOUT HIKE
1s 5s 10s
3 0 0 3 A Girl Scout troop went on a hike. First they walked 1 mile
east, then 2 miles south, then 3 miles west, and 1 mile
2 1 0 7
north, then 2 miles east. How far is the troop from their
2 0 1 12 starting point?
1 2 0 11
1 1 1 16
1 0 2 21
0 3 0 15
0 2 1 20
0 1 2 25
0 0 3 30
DRAW A DIAGRAM LOOKING FOR A PATTERN

CAR RACE
In a stock car race, the first five finishers in some order NUMERICAL SEQUENCES
were a Ford, a Pontiac, a Chevrolet, a Buick and a Dodge.
Fill in the next two blanks in each part.
(a) The Ford finished 7 seconds before the Chevrolet.
(b) The Pontiac finished 6 seconds after the Buick.
(c) The Dodge finished 8 seconds after the Buick.
(d) The Chevrolet finished 2 seconds before the Pontiac. 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, ___, ___
In what order did the cars finish the race?
LOOKING FOR A PATTERN LOOKING FOR A PATTERN
NUMERICAL SEQUENCES NUMERICAL SEQUENCES
Fill in the next two blanks in each part. Fill in the next two blanks in each part.
19, 20, 22, 25, 29, ___, ___ 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ___, ___
2
14/04/2023
NUMERICAL SEQUENCES What is the sum of the first ten counting

numbers?
Fill in the next two blanks in each part.
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, ___, ___ 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 = ?
What is the sum of the first twenty counting What is the sum of the first 100 counting
numbers? numbers?
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + … + 95 + 96 +
11 + 12 + 13 + 14 + 15 + 16 + 17 + 18 97 + 98 + 99 + 100 =?
+ 19 + 20 =?
LOOKING FOR A PATTERN MAKE A TABLE
HEXAGON DOTS HEXAGON DOTS
For the hexagon with 42 dots, how many dots are there on Draw the next two diagrams to continue this dot sequence.
each side? How about a hexagon with 300 dots? How many dots will there be in the 100th figure?
3
14/04/2023
USE OF VARIABLES ELIMINATE POSSIBILITIES
3-DIGIT NUMBER
Three persons Jean, Kyla, and Brenda are friends. Their
surnames are Reyes, Cruz and Morales, but not necessarily
The sum of the digits of a three-digit number is 18. If the
in that order. Jean lives in a red house, Brenda lives in a
second and third digits were interchanged, the given
yellow house, Miss Reyes lives in a blue house, and Miss
number would be increased by 36. If the first and third
Morales does not live in a red house. What are the full
digits were interchanged, the new number would be 99 less
names of each person?
than the original number. Find the number.
ELIMINATE POSSIBILITIES ELIMINATE POSSIBILITIES

Four married couples belong to a bridge club. The wives’
names are Kitty, Sarah, Josie and Anne. Their husband’s
names (in some order) are David, Will, Gus and Floyd. Elyra, Ejah, Wino, Angel and Wenet are aliens on a space
Will is Josie’s brother. ship.
Josie and Floyd dated sometime, but then Floyd met his
present wife. (a) Ejah is younger than Angel.
Kitty is married to Gus. (b) Ejah is not the youngest in the group.
Anne has two brothers. (c) Only one alien is older than Wenet.
Anne’s husband is an only child. (d) Wenet is younger than Wino.
Name the four couples.
Arrange Elyra, Ejah, Wino, Angel and Wenet in order of
increasing age.
III. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
INDUCTIVE REASONING
AND
It is better to solve one problem five DEDUCTIVE REASONING
different ways, than to solve five
problems one way.
– George Polya
Copyright 2018:
Mathematics in the Modern World by Winston S. Sirug, Ph.D. Copyright 2018: Mathematics in the Modern World by Winston S. Sirug, Ph.D.
4
14/04/2023
III. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning III. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
Example 1:
Observation:
Inductive Reasoning A low-cost airline flight is delayed
(also called induction) involves forming general
theories from specific observations. Observe a pattern:
Another 20 flights from low-cost airlines are
Observing something happen repeatedly and delayed
concluding that it will happen again in the same
way is an example of inductive reasoning. Develop a theory or general (preliminary)
conclusion
Low cost airlines always have delays
Example 2: Example 3:
Observation: Observation:
Dogs A and B have fleas Elephants depend on water to exist
Observe a pattern: Observe a pattern:

All observed dogs have fleas All observed animals depend on water to exist.
Develop a theory or general (preliminary) Develop a theory or general (preliminary)

conclusion conclusion
All observed dogs have fleas All biological life depends on water to exist
Example 1:
Deductive Reasoning 1. Start with an existing theory (and create a problem
(also called deduction) involves starting from a statement)
set of general premises and then drawing a Low cost airlines always have delays
specific conclusion that contains no more 2. Formulate a falsifiable hypothesis based on existing theory
information than the premises themselves. If passengers fly with a low cost airline, then they will always
experience delays
3. Collect data to test the hypothesis
Deductive reasoning is sometimes called
Collect flight data of low-cost airlines
deduction (note that deduction has other 4. Analyse and test the data
meanings in the contexts of mathematics and 5 out of 100 flights of low-cost airlines are not delayed
accounting). 5. Decide whether you can reject the null hypothesis
5 out of 100 flights of low-cost airlines are not delayed = reject
hypothesis
5
14/04/2023
Example 2:
1. Start with an existing theory (and create a problem COUNTEREXAMPLE:

statement)
All biological life depends on water to exist A statement is a true statement provided that
2. Formulate a falsifiable hypothesis based on existing theory it is true in all cases.
All land mammals depend on water to exist
3. Collect data to test the hypothesis
Study all land mammal species to see if they depend on water If you can find one case for which statement
4. Analyse and test the data is not true, this is called a counterexample,
All land mammal species depend on water then the statement is a false statement.
5. Decide whether you can reject the null hypothesis
All land mammal species depend on water = support hypothesis
III. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning IV. Mathematical Problems Involving Patterns
EXAMPLE:
Verify that the statement is false by finding a MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS
counterexample.
INVOLVING PATTERNS
IV. Mathematical Problems Involving Patterns IV. Mathematical Problems Involving Patterns
SEQUENCE: Example 1:
An ordered list of numbers. Example: Determine the nth term formula of the
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, … sequence
TERMS OF A SEQUENCE:
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, … 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, …
Numbers in a Sequence.
a1,a2,a3, … an
6, 12, 18, 24, …
nth TERM OF A SEQUENCE: 10, 20, 30, …

denoted by an
1, 4, 9, 16, 25, …
6
14/04/2023
IV. Mathematical Problems Involving Patterns IV. Mathematical Problems Involving Patterns
Example 2: Example 3:
Determine the nth term formula of the Use the given nth term formula to compute
sequence the first ten terms of the sequence.
2, 7, 12, 17, …
IV. Mathematical Problems Involving Patterns V. Recreational Problems using Mathematics
Example 4:
Use the given nth term formula to compute
the first ten terms of the sequence. RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS
USING MATHEMATICS
V. Recreational Problems using Mathematics
LINKS:
Tower of Hanoi:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3U
6PRZDjTA
Kenken Puzzle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXxi
pn39Qv4
Copyright 2018: Mathematics in the Modern World by Winston S. Sirug, Ph.D.

Problem Solving

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Problem Solving

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

14/04/2023

Topic Outline I. Polya’s Strategy

III. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning Understand the

• Enumerate the steps to be taken to solve the problem: List down

• Ensure the solution is consistent with the facts of the problem,

II. Problem Solving Strategies GUESS AND CHECK

Fill in the small boxes with digits 1 – 9 such that each

IV. Looking for Patterns

VI. Algebraic Equations

VII. Logical Reasoning

MAKE AN ORDERLY LIST MAKE AN ORDERLY LIST

HANDSHAKE PROBLEM: DART BOARD:

MAKE AN ORDERLY LIST DRAW A DIAGRAM

DRAW A DIAGRAM LOOKING FOR A PATTERN

LOOKING FOR A PATTERN LOOKING FOR A PATTERN

NUMERICAL SEQUENCES NUMERICAL SEQUENCES

LOOKING FOR A PATTERN LOOKING FOR A PATTERN

NUMERICAL SEQUENCES What is the sum of the first ten counting

LOOKING FOR A PATTERN LOOKING FOR A PATTERN

LOOKING FOR A PATTERN MAKE A TABLE

HEXAGON DOTS HEXAGON DOTS

USE OF VARIABLES ELIMINATE POSSIBILITIES

ELIMINATE POSSIBILITIES ELIMINATE POSSIBILITIES

III. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

Observe a pattern: Observe a pattern:

Develop a theory or general (preliminary) Develop a theory or general (preliminary)

1. Start with an existing theory (and create a problem COUNTEREXAMPLE:

nth TERM OF A SEQUENCE: 10, 20, 30, …

IV. Mathematical Problems Involving Patterns V. Recreational Problems using Mathematics

V. Recreational Problems using Mathematics

Copyright 2018: Mathematics in the Modern World by Winston S. Sirug, Ph.D.

You might also like