Module 6. Problem Solving

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MODULE 6. PROBLEM SOLVING

Mathematics is not just about numbers; much of it is problem solving and reasoning.
Problem solving is one of the most important skills for human beings to survive. More than ever,
good problem solving skills are recognized as vital for success in the modern world. Almost
every individual engages in problems solving at home, in the work place and is crucial in
running the affairs of the society. Two goals of this chapter are to help you become a better
problem solver and to demonstrate that problem solving can be an enjoyable experience.

Objectives of this chapter

At the end of this chapter, the students are expected to

 Become familiar of the problem solving heuristics and be able to identify the strategy
most appropriate for the problem
 Use problem-solving strategies to investigate and understand mathematical content
 Acquire skill in developing and applying a variety of strategies to solve problems
 Verify and generalize results with respect to the original problem situation
 Gain confidence in using mathematics meaningfully to solve problems

To start the lesson on problem solving, please do the following mental exercise and give your
final answer.

“If the third number is less than the first number, circle the second number unless the second
number is less than the fourth number. In this case, circle the number that is the difference
between the first number and the sixth number.”

6 2 3 5 4 1

2.1 Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

Two types of reasoning are used when solving a problem: inductive reasoning and
deductive reasoning.

 Inductive Reasoning. It the process of recalling a general conclusion by examining specific


examples
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Examples
(a) Predict the next symbol in the list

Hint: Look for a pattern that involves counting numbers and symmetry about a line

(b) Problems on IQ usually relates patterns to input-output machine. The diagram below shows
the output for a given input.

What would the machine give as output for the following input?

Select your answer from the following:


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(c) Study carefully the diagram below. How many regions are there with 6 dots on the circle?

Note: Inductive reasoning does not always lead us to a valid conclusion.

 Deductive Reasoning. It is the process of reaching a conclusion by applying general


assumptions, procedures, or principles.

The following problems require the use of deductive reasoning.

(a) Logic Puzzle


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Therefore, Sean is the banker, Maria is the editor, Sarah is the chef, and Brian is the dentist.

Try this

There were five ladies from Carruther


Who named their pets after each other
From the following clues,
Can you carefully choose
The pet which belongs to Sue’s mother?

Toni Taylor owns a hog;


Belle Bradkowski owns a frog;
Janet Jackson owns a crow;
The garter snake is owned by Jo;

Sue’s the name they call the frog;


And “Here Jo, here Jo “ brings the hog;
The name by which they call the pony
Is the name of the woman whose pet is Toni;
The final clue, which I’ll now tell,
Is that Sue’s mother’s pet is Belle.
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(b) The Ken Ken Puzzle

It is an arithmetic-based logic puzzle that was invented by the Japanese mathematics


teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto in 2004. The noun “ken” means “knowledge” and “awareness” as
synonyms.

2.2
2.3 Guess and Check

Complete the Ken Ken puzzle below


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Counterexamples

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

Question. How many counterexamples are needed to prove that a statement is false?

Try this

Verify that each of the following statements is a false statementby finding a counterexample for
each.
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Mental Exercise

A. Determine whether each of the following arguments uses inductive reasoning or deductive
Reasoning

a) You will not fail this course if you study enough. You are studying enough. Therefore you
will pass this course.

b. To earn extra income, Leslie decides to sell face shield due to the implementation of NO
FACE SHIELD, NO RIDE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION policy.
c. On the first day of the implementation, Leslie was able to sell 15 face shields, on the 2nd
he sold 18, and on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th days, he was able to sell 12, 15, and 10 face shields,
respectively. On the 6th day Leslie expects to sell around 14 face shields.
d. In an unfamiliar language, enic lod nam means “nice old man”, enic moor means “nice
room” and elttil nam means “little man”. How would you say “old room”?

B. Counterexamples

Find a pair of numbers that provides a counterexample to show that the given statement is false.

b1) If the sum of two counting numbers is an even counting number, then the product of
the two counting numbers is an even counting number.
b2) If the product of two counting numbers is an even counting number, then both of the
counting numbers are even counting numbers.

C. Solve the following problems

a) Use inductive reasoning to predict the next three numbers in the sequence:
2, 5, 10, 17, 26, ___, ___, ___

b) What would be the next two letters in the list?


B, A, E, D, H, G, K, J, _____, _____
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c)

d) You need to buy groceries at the supermarket, deposit a check at the credit union, and
purchase a book at the bookstore. You can complete the errands in any order; however,
you must start and end at your home. The driving time in minutes between each of these
locations is given in the following figure.

Find a route for which total driving time is less than 30 minutes.

D. Developing writing and reasoning skills in mathematics

Do a Google search for the string “studies texting while driving”. Suppose that you’ve driven
while texting 10 times in the past without any incident. How likely would you be to text while
driving if you (a) use inductive reasoning, and (b) deductive reasoning based on your Google
search. Describe your reasoning in each case.
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e)

Complete the magic square below.

f) Complete the 3 x 3 Ken Ken puzzle below

3 x 3 Ken Ken Puzzle


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g) Given clues for Einstein Puzzle below.

• The Brit lives in the house with red walls.


• The Swede has a dog.
• The Dane drinks tea.
• The house with green walls is directly to the left of the house with white walls.
• The owner of the house with green walls drinks coffee.
• The person who smokes Palmall cigars owns a bird.
• The owner of the house with yellow walls smoke Dunhill.
• The man living in the center house drinks milk.
• The Norwegian lives in the first house.
• The man who smokes Blends lives next to the cat owner.
• The horse’s owner lives next to the man who smokes Dunhill.
• The man who smokes Blue Master drink root beer.
• The German smokes Prince.
• The Norwegian lives next to the house with blue walls.
• The man who smokes Blends has a next-door neighbor who drinks water.
• Who keeps the fish?

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