Module 3

EDELYN M. TARRIELA, MAT

Problem Solving and Reasoning Instructor

Gmail account:
[email protected]
Fb account: Edelyn Tarriela

Module Duration:
September 19-24, 2022

GE003
Mathematics in the Modern World
 MODULE 3 OUTLINE
Problem Solving and Reasoning

MODULE DURATION

I. September 19-24, 2022 Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning

II. For asynchronous learning inquiries, you may reach me through messenger group/personal
message every Friday 4:00pm - 6:00pm.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module you are expected to:

I. solve problems involving number patterns;

II. identify the unknown value in a given sequence/pattern; and
III. express appreciation for mathematics as a human endeavor.

INPUT INFORMATION
Mathematics in the Modern World
MODULE 3

Unlike exercises, there is never a simple recipe for solving a problem. You can get better and
better at solving problems, both by building up your background knowledge and by simply practicing.
As you solve more problems (and learn how other people solved them), you learn strategies and
techniques that can be useful. But no single strategy works every time.
George Pólya was a great champion in the field of teaching effective problem solving skills. He
was born in Hungary in 1887, received his Ph.D. at the University of Budapest, and was a professor
at Stanford University (among other universities). He wrote many mathematical papers along with
three books, most famously, “How to Solve it.” Pólya died at the age 98 in 1985.

In 1945, Pólya published the short book How to Solve It, which gave a four-step method for solving
mathematical problems:

1. First, you have to understand the problem.

2. After understanding, then make a plan.
3. Carry out the plan.
4. Look back on your work. How could it be better?

This is all well and good, but how do you actually do these steps?!?! Steps 1 and 2 are particularly
mysterious! How do you “make a plan?” That is where you need some tools in your toolbox, and some
experience to draw upon.

Much has been written since 1945 to explain these steps in more detail, but the truth is that they
are more art than science. This is where math becomes a creative endeavour (and where it becomes
so much fun). We will articulate some useful problem solving strategies, but no such list will ever be
complete. This is just a start to help you on your way. The best way to become a skilled problem solver
is to learn the background material well, and then to solve a lot of problems!

Problem Solving Strategy 1 (Guess and Test)

Make a guess and test to see if it satisfies the demands of the problem. If it doesn't, alter the
guess appropriately and check again. Keep doing this until you find a solution.
Example:

Mr. Jones has a total of 25 chickens and cows on his farm. How many of each does he have
if all together there are 76 feet?

Step 1: Understanding the problem

We are given in the problem that there are 25 chickens and cows.
All together there are 76 feet.
Chickens have 2 feet and cows have 4 feet.
We are trying to determine how many cows and how many chickens Mr. Jones has on his farm.

Step 2: Devise a plan

Going to use Guess and test along with making a tab
Many times the strategy below is used with guess and test.
Make a table and look for a pattern:
Procedure: Make a table reflecting the data in the problem. If done in an orderly way, such a table will
often reveal patterns and relationships that suggest how the problem can be solved.
Step 3: Carry out the plan:
Number of chicken Number of cow Total number of
Chickens Cows feet feet feet

20 5 40 20 60

21 4 42 16 58
Notice we are going in the wrong direction! The total number of feet is decreasing!
19 6 38 24 62

Better! The total number of feet are increasing!

15 10 30 40 70

12 13 24 52
76

Step 4: Looking back:

Check: 12 + 13 = 25 heads
24 + 52 = 76 feet.

We have found the solution to this problem. I could use this strategy when there are a limited
number of possible answers and when two items are the same but they have one characteristic that
is different.
Problem Solving Strategy 2 (Looking for a Pattern)
Definition: A sequence is a pattern involving an ordered arrangement of numbers.
We first need to find a pattern.
Ask yourself as you search for a pattern – are the numbers growing steadily larger? Steadily smaller?
How is each number related?

Example 1: 1, 4, 7, 10, 13…

 Find the next 2 numbers. The pattern is each number is increasing by 3. The next two
numbers would be 16 and 19.
Example 2: 1, 4, 9, 16 … find the next 2 numbers. It looks like each successive number is increase
by the next odd number. 1 + 3 = 4.
4+5=9
9 + 7 = 16
So the next number would be
16 +9 = 25
25 + 11 = 36
Example 3: 10, 7, 4, 1, -2… find the next 2 numbers.
In this sequence, the numbers are decreasing by 3.
So the next 2 numbers would be -2 -3 = -5
-5 – 3 = -8

Example 4: 1, 2, 4, 8 … find the next two numbers.

This example is a little bit harder. The numbers are increasing but not by a constant. Maybe a
factor?
1x2=2
2x2=4
4 x 2 =8
So each number is being multiplied by 2.
8 x 2 = 16
16 x 2 = 32

MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS INVOLVING PATTERNS

Numbers are everywhere in our daily lives and mathematics is based on numbers.
Mathematics is useful to predict and number pattern is about prediction.
Number pattern leads directly to the concept of functions in mathematics in relation to different
quantities which is defined as a list of the same numbers following a particular sequence. Number
pattern can also be applied to problem-solving whether a pattern is present and can be used to
generalize a solution to a problem.
Examples of Number Patterns:
1. Fibonacci Sequence
2. Prime number pattern
3. Imaginary number pattern
4. Geometric number pattern
5. Growing number pattern

INFINITE SEQUENCE
An infinite sequence is a function whose domain is the set of positive integers. The function
values 𝒂𝟏, 𝒂𝟐 , 𝒂𝟑, 𝒂𝟒,……. 𝒂𝒏−𝟏 , 𝒂𝒏,…. are terms of the sequence. If the domain of the function consists of
the first n positive integers only, the sequence is a finite sequence.
Example: Identify whether the following are finite or infinite sequence.
a.) 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 finite sequence
b.) 2,4,6,8,10,12,14 finite sequence
c.) 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15 finite sequence
d.) 3,6,9,12,15 . . . infinite sequence
e.) 1,1,2,3,5,8,13 . . . infinite sequence
f.) 1,4,9,16,25,36 . . . infinite sequence
 A general sequence 𝑎1, 𝑎2 , 𝑎3, 𝑎4,……. 𝑎𝑛−1 , 𝑎𝑛,…. having the first term 𝑎1, the second term 𝑎2 , the third
term 𝑎3, and the nth term, also called the general term of the sequence, is 𝑎𝑛 .

Examples: Write the first three term of the sequence whose nth term is given by the formula
1. 𝑎𝑛 = 3𝑛 + 1 ans. 4, 7, 10

Solution: 3(1) + 1 = 3 + 1 =4
3(2) + 1 = 6 + 1 =7
3(3) + 1 = 9 + 1 =10
1
2. 𝑇𝑛 = 2 (𝑛2 + 𝑛) ans. 1, 3, 6

3. 𝑆𝑛 = 𝑛2 ans. 1, 4, 9
1
4. 𝑃𝑛 = 2 (3𝑛2 − 𝑛) ans. 1, 5, 12

5. 𝐻𝑛 = 2𝑛2 − 𝑛 ans. 1, 6, 15

DIFFERENCE TABLE

A difference table shows the difference between successive terms of the sequence. The
differences in rows may be the first, second, and third differences. The following examples will show
how to predict the next term of a sequence and we look for a pattern in a row differences.
Examples: Construct the difference table to predict the next term of each sequence.
a.) 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, _23_
7–3=4
11 – 7 = 4
15 – 11 = 4
19 – 15 = 4
Ans. 23

b.) 4, 9, 17, 28, _42 2nd difference

9–4=5 8 -5 = 3
17 – 9 = 8 11 – 8 = 3
28 – 17 = 11 14 – 11 = 3

c.) 6, 9, 14, 26,50, _91_

POLYGONAL NUMBER
A polygonal number is a type of a figurative number represented as dots or pebbles arranged
in the shape of a regular polygon.
A. Determine the next term for the following polygonal numbers:
1. Triangular Number
2.Square Number

3. Pentagonal Number

4. Hexagonal Number

Words of wisdom: “Don’t wait for opportunity. Create it.”

See you in the next module…

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

I. Deep reading, understanding, and exploring of Module 3 content.

II. Clarifications/enrichment of inexplicit concepts from the module during synchronous meeting.
For non-online capable students, clarifications may be done through text or messenger.
III. Asynchronous learning activities:
NUMBER SERIES (Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division)
Determine the unknown term in the following series.

1.) 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, 37, 50, ____

2.) 3, 15, 35, 63, _____

3.) 71, 59, 48, 38, 29, _____

4.) 89, 55, 34, 21, ____,8 ,5 ,3

5.) 2, 8, 16, 128, _____

6.) 120, 99, 80, 63, 48, ____

7.) 240, ______, 120, 40, 10, 2

8.) 1, 2, 6, 7, 21, 22, 66, 67, ____

9.) 9,17, 31, 57, ___, 205

10.) 445, 221,109, _____, 25,11,4

ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION
I. Asynchronous Learning-activities will be answered by the students and to be submitted on
September 24, 2021 at 5:00 pm
II. Quiz 3 will be answered through Google forms for online-capable and through text or
messenger to non-online

Deadline: (To be posted in the Google classroom for online capable and through text or
messenger to non-online)

Good Luck!

ASSIGNMENT
Introduction to Data Management
1. What are the measures of Central Tendency? Differentiate each one.
2. How do grouped data differ from ungrouped data?
3. What are the other measures of position?

LEARNING RESOURCES
o https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_00.htm
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_8srGGX0kk
o https://courses.lumenlearning.com/prealgebra/chapter/apply-a-problem-solving-strategy-to-
basic-word-problems/
o https://www.dummies.com/education/math/pre-algebra/the-4-steps-to-solving-word-problems/
o https://www.onlinemathlearning.com/math-word-problems.html
o http://web.mnstate.edu/peil/M110/Worksheet/PolyaProblemSolve.pdf
o https://study.com/academy/lesson/polyas-four-step-problem-solving-process.html