PROBLEM SOLVING

IN MATHEMATICS
 What is a problem?
It is a question that motivates a
person to search for a solution.
1. It implies that one wants or
needs to solve the problem.
2. One has to search for a way
to find a solution.
What is problem
solving?
 problem solving

It is finding solutions and not just

answers to problems.

SOLUTION = METHOD + ANSWER

 Monty Hall Problem:
The grand prize in Let’s Make a Deal is behind
one of three doors. Less desirable prizes (for
instance, a goat and a box of candy) are behind the
other two doors. You select one of the doors, say
door 1.
Monty Hall reveals one of the less desirable
prizes behind one of the other doors. You are then
given the opportunity either to stay with your
original choice or to choose the remaining closed
door.
What do you think? Do you have a better chance
of winning the grand prize by switching to the other
closed door or staying with your original choice?.
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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning – is the process of

reaching a general conclusion by
examining specific examples. A
conclusion based on inductive
reasoning is called a conjecture. A
conjecture may or may not be correct.

PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

EXAMPLE 1:
Use inductive reasoning to predict the next
number in each of the following lists.
a) 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, ?
b) 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, ?

PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
EXAMPLE 2:
Consider the following procedure: Pick a
number. Multiply the number by 8, add 6 to the
product, divide the sum by 2, 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. 9

PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

 1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
EXAMPLE 3:

Length of pendulum, in Period of pendulum, in

units heartbeats
1 1
4 2
9 3
16 4
25 5
36 6
The period of a pendulum
is the time it takes for the
Use the data in the table and inductive reasoning to answer each of
pendulum to swing from
the following questions.
left to right and back to its
a) If a pendulum has a length of 49 units, what is its period? original position.
b) If the length of a pendulum is quadrupled, what happens to its
period? 1
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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
Deductive Reasoning – is the process of
reaching a conclusion by applying
general assumptions, procedures, or
principles.

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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
EXAMPLE 4: 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.
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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

A statement is a true statement provided it

is true in all cases.
If you can find one case in which a
statement is not true, called a counterexample,
then the statement is a false statement.

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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

EXAMPLE 5: Find a Counterexample

Verify that each of the following statements is
a false statement by finding a counterexample.
For all number :
a)
b)
c)
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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

2. Problem Solving with Patterns

Sequences
A sequence is an ordered list of numbers.
Each number in a sequence is called a term of
the sequence. The is used to designate the term
of a sequence.
A formula that can be used to generate all
the terms of a sequence is called an formula.

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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

2. Problem Solving with Patterns

EXAMPLE 1: Predict the Next Term

Use a difference table to predict the next
term in the sequence.
2, 7, 24, 59, 118, 207, …

1
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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

2. Problem Solving with Patterns
EXAMPLE 2: Find an nth-Term Formula
Assume the pattern shown by the square tiles in the
following figures continues.
a. What is the th-term formula for the number of tiles in the th
figure of the sequence?
b. How many tiles are in the eighth of the sequence?
c. Which figure will consist of exactly 320 tiles?

. 1
𝑎1 𝑎2 𝑎3 𝑎4 7

PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

2. Problem Solving with Patterns
Fibonacci’s Rabbit Problem
At the beginning of a month, you
are given a pair of newborn rabbits.
After a month the rabbits have produce
no offspring; however, every month
thereafter, the pair of rabbits produces
another pair of rabbits. The offspring
reproduce in exactly the same manner.
If none of the rabbits dies, how many
pairs of rabbits will there be at the start
of each succeeding month?
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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

2. Problem Solving with Patterns

EXAMPLE 3: Find a Fibonacci Number

The Fibonacci Numbers
, , and for .

Use the definition of Fibonacci numbers to

find the seventh and eighth Fibonacci numbers.

1
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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

2. Problem Solving with Patterns

EXAMPLE 4: Find a Fibonacci Number

Determine whether each of the following
statements about Fibonacci numbers is true or
false.
Note: the first 10 terms of the Fibonacci
sequence are 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and 55.
a. If n is even, then is an odd number.
b. for 2
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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

3. Problem-Solving Strategies

One of the foremost recent mathematicians

to make a study of problem solving was George
Polya (1877-1985). He was born in Hungary
and moved to the United States in 1940. the
basic problem-solving strategy that Polya
advocated consisted of the following four steps.

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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

3. Problem-Solving Strategies

Polya’s Four-Step Problem-Solving Strategy

1) Understand the problem.
2) Devise a plan.
3) Carry out the plan.
4) Review the solution.

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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

3. Problem-Solving Strategies

Polya’s four steps are deceptively simple.

To become a good problem solver, it helps to
examine each of these steps and determine what
is involved.

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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

 3. Problem-Solving Strategies
You must have a clear
understanding of the
Once you have found a problem.
solution, check the solution. “Can you restate the problem
Ensure that the solution is in your own words?”
consistent with the facts of
the problem.

Successful problem solvers

• Work carefully. use a variety of techniques
• Keep an accurate and neat when they attempt to solve a
record of all your problem.
attempts. 2
• Realize that some of your 4

initial plans will not work

andPROBLEM
modify SOLVING
your plan. PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO
3. Problem-Solving Strategies
EXAMPLE 1: Apply Polya’s Strategy
Consider the map shown in figure below. Allison wishes to walk along the
streets from point A to point B. How many direct routes can Allison take?

First Avenue
Cit A

Gateway Boulevard
y Borders
Godiva
M
Board Walk
Second Avenue
ap
River Walk

Crest Boulevard
Park Avenue
Subway

Starbucks Third Avenue

.
2

Fourth Avenue B 5

PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

3. Problem-Solving Strategies

EXAMPLE 2: Apply Polya’s Strategy

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?

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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

3. Problem-Solving Strategies

EXAMPLE 3: Apply
Polya’s Strategy
In a basketball league
consisting of 10 teams, each
team plays each of the other
teams exactly three times.
How many league games
will be played?
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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

3. Problem-Solving Strategies

EXAMPLE 4: Apply Polya’s Strategy

Determine the digit 100 places to the right of
the decimal point in the decimal representation .

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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

 3. Problem-Solving Strategies
EXAMPLE 5: Apply Polya’s
Strategy
In consecutive turns of a Monopoly
game, Stacy first paid $800 for a hotel.
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
Illionois Avenue. Stacy now has $2,500.
How much did she have just before she
purchased the hotel? 2
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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

3. Problem-Solving Strategies

EXAMPLE 6: Apply Polya’s Strategy

The product of the ages, in years, of three
teenagers is 4590. None of the teens are the
same age. What are the ages of the teenagers?

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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

 3. Problem-Solving Strategies

EXAMPLE 7: Solve a
Deceptive
Problem
A hat and a jacket together
cost $100. the jacket costs $90
more than the hat. What are the
cost of the hat and the cost of the
jacket?
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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO

Reference:

Aufmann, R. N., Lockwood, J. S., Nation, R.

D. & Clegg, D. K. (2013).
Mathematical Excursions,
Third Edition. CA: Brooks/Cole,
Cengage Learning.

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PROBLEM SOLVING PROF. ANNABELLE Q. SOLLANO