Institute of Computing and Engineering

Mathematics Department

REASONING
Two Fundamental Forms of Reasoning
• 1. INDUCTIVE REASONING
• 2. DEDUCTIVE REASONING

 INDUCTIVE REASONING
- is the logical process in which multiple
premises, all believed to be true or found true
most of the time are combined to obtain a
specific conclusion.
 Example:
◦ Jenny leaves for school at 7:00 am. Jenny is always on time.
Therefore, Jenny assumes then that if she leaves for school at 7:00
am, she will always be on time.
 DEDUCTIVE REASONING
- the process of reaching conclusions based
on previously known facts. The conclusions
reached this type of reasoning are valid and can
be relied on.
 Example:
 All men are mortal. (Major Premise)
 President Rody is a man. (Major Premise)
 Therefore, Rody is mortal. (Conclusion)
James is a grandfather.
James is bald.
Therefore, all grandfathers are bald.
Inductive Reasoning
Exercises:
Direction: Indicate if it is Inductive or Deductive Reasoning
1. All Filipinos eat rice.
Ronnie is a Filipino.
Therefore, Ronnie eats rice.

2. All household owners pay electric bills.

Guiller is a household owner.
Therefore, Guiller pays electric bills.
3. All chickens that we have seen have been white.
Therefore, all chickens are white.

4. John is an excellent swimmer.

John’s family has a swimming pool.
Therefore, the sister of John named Mary must also be an excellent swimme

5. All aunts and uncles are loved by their nieces and nephews.
Liza and Ronnie are aunt and uncle.
Therefore, Liza and Ronnie are loved by their nieces and nephews.
6. All first-year college students in the new curriculum take mathematics in the Modern
World.
Matilda is a first- year college in the new curriculum.
Therefore, Matilda takes Mathematics in the Modern World.

7. Michael just moved here from Davao.

Michael has red hair.
Therefore, all people from Davao have red hair.

8. Rico is a first-year college student.

Rico is male.
Therefore, all first-year students are males.
9. The chair in the living room is red.
The chair in the dining room is red.
The chair in the bedroom is red.
Therefore, all chairs in the house are red.

10. The teacher uses PowerPoint in the last three classes.

Therefore, the teacher will use PowerPoint tomorrow.
Institute of Computing and Engineering
Mathematics Department

PROBLEM SOLVING
PROBLEM SOLVING
-the mental process that people go through to
discover, analyze and solve problems.
Perform the indicated operations.
1. 8 + 5 11. 3 x 4
2. 4 + 7 12. 6 x 7
3. 9 + 3 13. 8 x 3
4. 8 + 6 14. (-2) x (5)
5. (-2) + (-4) 15. (-7) x (-9)
6. 7 – 5 16. 8 ÷ 4
7. 8 – 4 17. 12 ÷ 3
8. (-5) – (-1) 18. 24 ÷ (-8)
9. (9) – (-7) 19. (-18) ÷ (-3)
10.(-11) – (7) 20. (-20) ÷ ( 4)
Perform the indicated operations.
1. 8 + 5=13 11. 3 x 4=12
2. 4 + 7=11 12. 6 x 7=42
3. 9 + 3=12 13. 8 x 3=24
4. 8 + 6=14 14. (-2) x (5)=-10
5. (-2) + (-4)=-6 15. (-7) x (-9)=63
6. 7 – 5=2 16. 8 ÷ 4=2
7. 8 – 4=4 17. 12 ÷ 3=4
8. (-5) – (-1)=-4 18. 24 ÷ (-8)=-3
9. (9) – (-7) =16 19. (-18) ÷ (-3)=6
10.(-11) – (7)=-18 20. (-20) ÷ ( 4)=-5
 George Polya (1887-1985)
 The father of
problem-solving
 A mathematics
educator who
strongly believed
that the skill of
problem solving
can be taught.
 Polya’s Four-Step Problem
Solving Strategy

Step 1 : Understand the problem.

Step 2 : Devise a plan.
Step 3 : Carry out the plan.
Step 4 : Review the solution
 Step 1 Understand the Problem
*What is the goal?
*What is being asked?
*What is the condition?
*What sort of a problem is it?
*What is known or unknown?
*Is there enough information?
*Can you draw a figure to illustrate the problem?
*Is there a way to restate the problem in your
own words?
 Step 2 Devise a plan
• Act it out.
• Be systematic.
• Work backwards.
• Consider special cases.
• Eliminate possibilities.
• Perform an experiment.
• Draw a picture/diagram.
• Make a list or table/chart.
• Use a variable, such as x.
• Look for a formula/formulas.
• Write an equation or model.
• Look for a pattern/patterns.
• Use direct or indirect reasoning.
• Solve a simple version of the problem.
• Guess and check your answer (trial and error).
 Step 3 Carry out the plan
• Be patient.
• Work carefully.
• Modify the plan or try a new plan.
• Keep trying until something works.
• Implement the strategy and strategies in step 2.
• Try another strategy if the first one isn’t working.
• Keep a complete and accurate record of your work.
• Be determined and don’t get discouraged if the plan
does not work immediately.
 Step 4 Review the solution
• Look for an easier solution.
• Does the answer make sense?
• Check the results in the orignal problem.
• Interpret the solution with the facts of the problem.
• Recheck any computations involved in the solution.
• Can the solution be extended to a more general case?
• Ensure that all the conditions related to the problem are
met.
• Determine whether there is another method of finding the
solution.
• Ensure the consistency of the solution in the context of the
problem.
Example #1: The GSW basketball team won three
out of their last six games. In how many different
orders could they have attained three wins and three
losses in six games?

Step 1 Understand the problem

*There are many different ways. GSW may have won
three straight wins and three losses (WWWLLL), or may
be they lost in the first three games and won in the last
three games (LLLWWW). Likewise, there are several
orders.

Step 2 Devise a plan

One can recognize a list of all the possibilities making
sure that no entry will be duplicated.
Step 3 Carry out the plan.
Three Ws must be present in every entry without duplication.
1. WWWLLL 9. WLWLLW 17. LWWLWL
2. WWLWLL 10. WLWLWL 18. LWLLWW
3. WWLLWL 11. LLLWWW 19. LWLWWL
4. WWLLLW 12. LLWLWW 20. LWLWLW
5. WLLLWW 13. LLWWLW
6. WLLWWL 14. LLWWWL
7. WLLWLW 15. LWWWLL
8. WLWWLL 16. LWWLLW

Step 4 Review the solution

The list is organized and has no duplicates, so there are 20
different orders in which a basketball team can win exactly three
out of six games.
Exercises
Direction: Follow the Polya’s Four-Step Problem Solving Strategy.
Solve the following using Polya’s problem solving
strategies.

It’s dark. You have ten grey socks and ten blue socks
you want to put into pairs. All socks are exactly the
same except for their colour. How many socks would
you need to take with you to ensure you had at least a
pair?
A. 2 C. 8
B. 3 D. 16
You are in the downstairs lobby of a house. There are three
switches, all in the "off' position. Upstairs, there is a room with a
lightbulb that is turned off. One and only one of the three
switches controls the bulb. You want to discover which switch
controls the bulb, but you are only allowed to go upstairs once.
How do you do it? (No fancy strings, telescopes, etc. allowed.
You cannot see the upstairs room from downstairs. The lightbulb
is a standard 100-watt bulb.)