PROBLEM SOLVING

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the chapter, the students should be able to:
1. Use four steps of Polya in problem solving;
2. Apply the different problem solving strategies in solving
real life problems; and
3. Solve accurately recreational math problems such as
logic puzzles and math tricks.
TRY THIS PUZZLE

Each of four neighbors, Ariel, Airah, Josephine, and Jaime, has a

different occupation (editor, banker, chef, or dentist). From the
following clues, determine the occupation of each neighbor.
a. Airah gets home from work after the banker but before the dentist.
b. Josephine, who is the last to get home from work, is not the editor.
c. The dentist and Josephine leave for work at the same time.
d. The banker lives next door to Jaime.
 POLYA’S 4 STEP PROBLEM SOLVING
STRATEGY
Clue 1
Editor Banker Chef Dentist
Airah gets home from work after
the banker but before the Ariel
dentist.
Airah X1 X1
From clue 1, Airah is neither the
banker nor the dentist, write X1 Josephine
in the banker and dentist
columns of Airah’s row. Jaime
 POLYA’S 4 STEP PROBLEM SOLVING
STRATEGY
Clue 1
Airah gets home from work after the banker but Editor Banker Chef Dentist
before the dentist.
Clue 2 Ariel
Josephine, who is the last to get home from
work, is not the editor.
Airah X1 X1

From Clue 2, Josephine is not the editor. Write Josephine X2 X2

X2 in the Editor column of Josephine.
From Clue 1, the banker is not the last to get
home, and from clue 2, Josephine is last to get Jaime
home; therefore, Josephine is not the banker.
Write X2 in the Banker column of Josephine.
 POLYA’S 4 STEP PROBLEM SOLVING
STRATEGY
Clue 3
Editor Banker Chef Dentist
The dentist and Josephine leave for
work at the same time.
Ariel

From clue 3, Josephine is not the Airah X1 X1

dentist. Write X3 in the Dentist
column of Josephine. Thus, Josephine Josephine X2 X2 √ X3
is the CHEF. Since Josephine is the
chef, non of the three can be the Jaime
chef. Write X3 for these conditions.
 POLYA’S 4 STEP PROBLEM SOLVING
STRATEGY

Editor Banker Chef Dentist

From the table, Airah is the
EDITOR. Write check to indicate Ariel X x
that Airah is the editor. Also,
Airah √ X1 x X1
neither Ariel nor Jaime is the
editor. Write X3 for these Josephine X2 X2 √ X3
conditions.
Jaime x x
 POLYA’S 4 STEP PROBLEM SOLVING
STRATEGY

Clue 4 Editor Banker Chef Dentist

The banker lives next door to Ariel X √ x x

Jaime.
Airah √ X1 x X1
From clue 4, Jaime is not the
banker. Write X4 for this Josephine X2 X2 √ X3
condition. Hence, Ariel is the
BANKER while Jaime is the Jaime x X4 x √
DENTIST.
POLYA’S 4 STEP PROBLEM SOLVING
STRATEGY

Editor Banker Chef Dentist

Ariel X3 √ X3 X4

Airah √ X1 X3 X1

Josephine X2 X2 √ X3

Jaime X3 X4 X3 √
POLYA’S 4 STEP PROBLEM SOLVING
STRATEGY

Understand the problem

Devise a plan
Carry out the plan
Review the solution
 PROBLEM 1

A rancher decides to enclose a rectangular region by

using an existing fence along one side of the region
and 2,240 feet of new fence on the other three sides.
The rancher wants the length of the rectangular
region to be five times as long as its width. What will
be the dimensions of the rectangular region?
Answer: 320 feet and 1,600 feet
 PROBLEM 2

In how many ways can you answer a 15 question test if

you answer each question with either a TRUE, a FALSE, or
an ALWAYS TRUE?

Answer:
It appears that for a test with n questions, there are 3 n
ways to answer. In this case, n=15, so there are 315 ways
to answer the test.
 PROBLEM 3

If 15 people greet each other at a meeting by

shaking hands with one another, how many
handshakes will take place?

Answer:
No. of handshakes = n(n-1)/2
No. of handshakes = 105
 PROBLEM 4

A farmer needs to get a dog, a rabbit, and a basket of carrots

across a river. The farmer has a small boat that they will only
stay afloat carrying the farmer and one of the animals or the
farmer and the carrots. The farmer cannot leave the dog
alone with the rabbit because the dog will eat the rabbit. The
farmer cannot leave the rabbit alone with the carrots
because the rabbit will eat the carrots. How can the farmer
get across the river with the animals and the carrots?
 PROBLEM 4

On the first trip, the farmer takes the rabbit across the
river. The farmer returns alone.
The farmer takes the dog across the river and returns
with the rabbit.
The farmer takes the carrots the river and returns alone.
On the final trip, the farmer takes the rabbit across the
river.
 PROBLEM 5

How many
squares are in
the following
figure?
 PROBLEM 5

1 x 1 square : 12 = 1
2 x 2 square : 12 + 22 = 5
3 x 3 square : 12 + 22 + 32 = 14
4 x 4 square : 12 + 22 + 32 + 42 = 30
5 x 5 square : 12 + 22 + 32 + 42 + 52 = 55
6 x 6 square : 12 + 22 + 32 + 42 + 52 + 62 = 91