ON POLYA’S FOUR STEP
METHOD IN PROBLEM SOLVING
Group 2: Milanes, Trisha Nicole
Martes, Jonalyn M.
Reyes, Marc Gabriel G.
Donga-il, Gester
Gajo, Aaron
1. Alice, Ben, and Carl collect stamps. They exchange
stamps among themselves according to the following
scheme: Alice gives Ben as many stamps as Ben has and
Carl as many stamps as Carl has. After that, Ben gives
Alice and Carl as many stamps as each of them has, and
then Carl gives Alice and Ben as many stamps as each
has. If each finally has 64 stamps, how many stamps
does Alice have at the start?
Understand the Problem: Alice, Ben, and Carl exchange
stamps; stamps that one of them gives stamps exactly as
the 2 others have. Three cycles without repetition
resulting to 64 stamps each. Goal: To determine the
number of stamps Alice has at the start.
Devise a Plan: We solve it by using the method of
Working Backwards. By that, we are going to reverse the
scenario by giving back the stamps each one has
received – starting from Carl. (Martes, Milanes, Donga-il,
Gajo, Reyes)
Carry out the Plan:
CARL BEN ALICE
64 64 64
3RD 64+64=128
2ND 64+32+16=11
2
1ST 16+32+56=10
4
Therefore, Alice has 104 stamps from the
beginning.
Review the Solution:
ALICE BEN CARL
104 56 32
ST
1ST 104-56=16 56 32=64
2
2ND
ND 16 112-16=64
112-16=64 64
3RD
3RD 32 32 128-32-32=64
128-32-32=64
We check the solution by doing a simulation of exchange using the
obtained values at Step 3. All of them have 64 stamps at the end
of 3rd cycle. Therefore it is correct that Alice has 104 stamps at the
start.
2. 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?
Understand the Problem: A baseball team having 2 wins
out of 4 games. Goal: Determine the total number of
possible arrangements of these having 2 wins and 2
loses.
Devise a Plan:
First Method - This can be solve by making an Organized
List, since it is in small scale yet. (Milanes, Reyes)
Second Method – This can be solved by listing Method.
(Martes, Donga-il, Gajo)
Carry Out the Plan: First Method
FIRST 2 WINS:WWLL
FIRST 2 LOSES:LLWW
HAVING A FIRST WIN:WLLW TOTAL:6
WLWL
HAVING A FIRST LOSE:LWWL
LWLW
Carry Out the Plan: Second Method
WWLL
LLWW
WLWL
LWLW
WLLW
LWWL
Therefore, there are 6 different orders on how could they have
two wins and two losses in four games.
•
Review the Solution:
A permutation is an arrangement of all or part of a set of
objects, with regard to the order of the arrangement.
=
=
=6
3. How many squares of 1x1 size are in an 8x8 checkerboard?
Understand the Problem: In an 8x8 checkerboard; we need to
determine the number of 1x1 size squares.
Devise a Plan:
First Method - This can be solve by using Visual Presentation. We
draw an 8x8 checkerboard an put numbers one up to the last
box. (Martes, Gajo)
Second Method – We solved it by Finding a Pattern, starting by
counting the number of 8x8 box, 7x7 boxes, 6x6 boxes, and so
on up to1x1 boxes. (Milanes, Donga-il, Reyes)
Carry out the Plan: First Method
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48
49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56
57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64
Therefore, there are 64 (1x1 squares).
•
Carry out the Plan: Second Method
8= =1
7= =4
6= =9
5= =16
4= =25
3= =36
2= =49
1= =64
•Review
the Solution: First Method
8= =1
7= =4
6= =9
5= =16
4= =25
3= =36
2= =49
1= =64
Review the Solution: Second Method
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48
49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56
57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64
We check this by counting & putting numbers on each 1x1
square.
4. In order to encourage his son in the study of Algebra, a father
promised the son P8.00 for every problem solved correctly and to
fine him P5.00 for each incorrect solution. After 26 problems,
neither owed any amount to the other. How many problems did the
boy solved correctly?
Understand the Problem: A boy answers Algebra problems and
gets P8. 00 for every correct answer and fined of P5.00 for every
incorrect one. After 26 problems, he neither gained nor loss any
amount. Goal: To determine the number of problems solved
correctly.
Devise a Plan:
First Method: We solve it by using the method of Intelligent
Guessing wherein the number should be divisible by 5 & 8.
(Martes,Reyes)
Second Method: We solve it by using the method of Writing
equation. Wherein we use eliminating unknown.(Gajo,Donga-
il,Milanes)
Carry out the Plan: First Method
*NUMBERS DIVISIBLE BY 5 AND 8={40,80,160,…}
CORRECT WRONG AMOUNT FINE
GAINED
8 18
9 17 72 85
10 16 80
•Carry
out the Plan: Second Method
Let x be right answer
y be wrong answer
x+y=26 eqn. 1
8x-5y=0 eqn. 2
*eliminate x in eqn. 1 & 2
( x+y=26)8
*Substitute value of y in eqn. 1
y=16
x+y=26
x+16=26
x=26-16
x=10
*Substitute value of x and y in eqn. 2
x=10
y=16
8y-5y=0
8(10)-5(16)=0
80-80=0
•Review
the Solution:
IF THE BOY GOT 10 CORRECT ANSWERS AND IT CORRESPOND BY
PHP8.00 IN EVERY CORRECT ANSWER THEN:
AND IF THE BOY GOT 16 WRONG ANSWERS AND IT CORRESPOND
BY PHP5.00 IN EVERY WRONG ANSWER THEN:
5. The product of the ages, in years, of three teenagers is 4590. None
of the teens are of the same age. What are the ages of the
teenagers?
Understand the Problem: Three teenagers' ages has a product of
4590. Goal: To determine their ages, considering that none of them
are of the same age.
Devise a Plan:
We solve it by using the method of Intelligent Guessing, since we
know that teenagers falls within the ages of 13-17 years old. and we
find ages that is divisible by 4590. (Martes, Gajo, Reyes,
Milanes,Donga-il)
•Carry
out the Plan:
Ages:13,14,15,16,17,18,19
Product:4590
FIND WHICH AGES HAS A QOUTIENT OF WHOLE NUMBER
•Review
the Solution:
THE AGES OF THE THREE TEENAGERS ARE 15,17 AND 18
1518=4590
4590=4590
6. If a pup is worth a pooch and a mutt, and a pup and a
pooch are worth one bird dog, and two bird dogs are worth
three mutts, how many pooches is a pup worth?
Understand the Problem: To determine the number of
pooches a pup worth.
Devise a Plan:
We solve it by using the method of Writing Equation, where in
we use elimination one unknown to obtain a single equation
in just one unknown.
•Carry
out a plan
LET A PUP BE a, A POOCH BE b, A MUTT BE c AND A BIRD DOB BE d.
a=b+c eqn. 1
d=a+b eqn. 2
2d=3c eqn. 3
THEN:
*ELLIMINATE d IN eqn. 2 AND eqn. 3
• 2a+2b0
2a+2b
*MULTIPLY eqn. 1 BY 3 AND SUBSTITUTE eqn. 4
a=b+c
(a=b+c)3
3a=3b+3c
3a=3b+(2a+2b)
*COMBINE SIMILAR TERMS
3a-2a=3b+2b
a=5b
Or 5 pooches
7. It is now 10:45 a.m., what time will it be in 143, 999, 999, 995
minutes from now?
Understand the Problem: To determine the time 143, 999, 999, 995
minutes after 10:45 AM.
Devise a plan: We solve it by using the method of writing an
Equation. We convert 24 hours in to minutes.
•Carry
out a plan:
1 DAY=24 HOURS 24 HRS=1440 MINS.
1 HOUR= 60 MINS
143999995+5=144000000000
*1440 IS DIVISIBLE BY 144000000000
10:45-5=10:40 AM
Review the Solution:
If we add 5 mins to 143,999,999,995 then it will be
144,000,000,000=100,000,000 days and we deduct 5 mins from
10:45 AM; therefore the time will be 10:40 a.m.
8. The sum of two numbers is 12, and the product of the same two
number is 4. Find the sum of the reciprocals of the two numbers.
Understand the problem: There are two numbers with a sum of 12
and a product of 4. Goal: To determine the sum of their reciprocals.
Devise a plan:
Were going to use the process of solving a simpler analogous
problem. For instance, using 4 & 2. Their product is 8 and their sum is
6. The sum of their reciprocals ¼ + ½ = 3/4 ; we can see that 6/8
when simplified is also 3/4 . We can conclude here that there is an
association – relation with the sum & products ratio to the sum of
reciprocals.
•Carry
out the Plan:
SUM:12
PRODUCT:4 =3
THEREFORE,THE SUM OF THEIR RECIPROCALS IS 3
•Review
the Solution:
*WE CHECK THE SOLUTION BY USING VARIABLES:
x+y=12
(x)(y)=4
=
•9. Find the sum of the first 100 even integers.
Understand the Problem: To determine the first 100 even
integers and obtain their sum.
Devise a Plan: We solve it by using the method of Equation.
The even numbers follows an arithmetic pattern where the
common difference is two. We use the formula for the sum of
arithmetic sequence(Martes
Sn=+d(n-1))
•Carry
out the Plan:
a
d=2
n=100
Sn=+d(n-1))
S=+2(100-1))
= +2(99))
=)
=10100
Review the Solution:
2+4+6+….196+198+200
2+200=202, 4+198=202, 6+196=202
1 pair =202
50 pairs 50x202=10100
The 50 pairs will be multiplied by the sum of each pair which
is 202 resulting the sum of the first even integers is 10,100.
10. An egg vendor broke all the eggs that he was delivering to a
local store. He could not remember how many eggs there were in
all. However, he did remember that when he tried to pack them
into packages of 2,3,4,5, and 6 he had one left over each time.
When he packed them into packages of 7, he had none left over.
What is the smallest number of eggs he could have had in
shipment?
Understand the Problem: There are certain number of eggs broken
that when packed on 2,3,4,5, and 6 always have a remaining one.
But when packed by 7's there is nothing left. Goal: To determine
the lowest possible number of eggs.
Devise a Plan: This can be solved by using Logical Reasoning. We
find the Least Common Multiple of 2,3,4,5, and 6, then we add 1
from there. Every multiple of that obtained LCM plus 1 until it is
divisible by 7.
Carry out the Plan
(2,3,4,5 AND 6) HAS A REMAINDER OF ONE
IT IS MULTIPLE OF 7
THE LCM OF 2,3,4,5,6 IS 60
ADD 1 TO 60=61
60+1=61 NOT DIVISIBLE BY 7
60(2)+1=121 NOT DIVISIBLE BY 7
60(3)+1=181 NOT DIVISIBLE BY 7
60(4)+1=241 NOT DIVISIBLE BY 7
60(5)+1=301 DIVISIBLE BY 7
Review the Solution:
We do this by checking the remainders when divided by 2,3,4,5,6,
& 7.
Packed by 2 3 4 5 6 7
Remainder 1 1 1 1 1 0
when Condition
divided to Satisfied
301
