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
 George Polya, a
well-known
Mathematician, defines
‘problem-solving’ as an
act to:
• find a way out of
difficulty
• find a way around an
obstacle
• find a way where none
George Polya is known,
1887-1985 • Attain a desired end
that is not immediately
attainable by direct
means.
hy teach and study PS?

1. Decision making
2. Other benefits?
Common Problem-Solving Strategies
1. Working Backwards
2. Guess and Check
3. Make a diagram
4. Make a List
5. Look for a Pattern
6. Divide and Conquer
7. Solve a Simpler Problem
8. Act it Out
9. Adopting a Different Point of View
Working Backwards
► 1. Example: In a dancing competition
all the contestants started dancing
last 2 mins = 2
together. After three minutes half the 20 min mark =2x2 =4
people were eliminated. During the 15 min mark = 4x 2=8
next ten minutes half of the remaining 10 min mark =8x2 =16
3 min mark = 16 x2 = 32
were eliminated. At the 15 minute
mark, half again were eliminated, and
at the 20 minute mark, half of those
still remaining were eliminated. In the
last two minutes one more contestant
was eliminated leaving a winner of the
competition. How many dancers were
there in the beginning?
Solution:
Note that there is one winner and that the number of
contestants was halved at certain intervals. Using this
information, it is possible to work backwards by doing
the opposite of the linked events in the problem and
find out how many dancers entered the competition.
Winner: 1 person dancing
Last 2 minutes (1 contestant was eliminated, so add 1):
1 + 1 = 2 dancers
After 20 minutes (the contestants was halved, so
double): 2 ∙ 2 = 4 dancers
After 15 minutes (halved, so double): 2 ∙ 4 = 8 dancers
After 10 minutes (again halved, so double): 2 ∙ 8 = 16
dancers
After 3 minutes (halved, so double): 2 ∙ 16 = 32
dancers at the start
Hence, 32 dancers entered the competition.
Guess and Check

Example: 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?
 Solution:
The possible ages of the teenagers are 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,
18, and 19. From this list, we choose three numbers whose
product is 4590. If we let x, y, and z be the ages, then xyz =
4590. However, no other
information is given that will enable us to solve this
equation. Hence we solve this problem by guessing and
checking. To have an educated guess, note that the product
ends in a zero. So, 4590 has 2 and
5 as factors, which means that at least one of the numbers
we seek must be an even number and at least one number must
have 5 as a factor. This means that 15 is one of the numbers.
Now,
Age 1 Age 2 Age 3 Product
15 16 18 4320 Too small
15 16 19 4560 Too small
15 17 18 4590 Correct
The ages of the teenagers are 15, 17, and 18.
Make a diagram
► Example: A frog fell down an
abandoned well which was 21 meters
deep. The frog found it difficult to jump
up the mud coated walls. It started its
long jump up the well at six a.m. It took
it 15 minutes to jump three meters
because the walls were so slippery. At
the end of every 15 minute period it
rested for five minutes while it sadly
slipped down one meter. It continued on
at the same rate. At what time did it
finally reach the top of the well?
 Solution:
This problem can be approached in a number
of ways. We can draw a time line with 1 cm
marks. One centimeter represents 1 meter the
frog jumps or slips. Drawing the line will help 15 min x 10 = 150 min
the student to visualize the problem. 5 min x 9 = 45 min

195 minutes
180 min = 3h
It would take the frog 195 minutes to cover the
distance. It would reach the top of the well at 3 h and 15 min
9:15 a.m

Source: https://www.blake.com.au/v/vspfiles/downloadables/PT1_ProblemSolving.pdf
Divide and Conquer
► Examples: A mixture of 25%
red paint, 30% green paint,
and 45% water. If 4L of red
paint are added to 20L of
the mixture, what is the
percentage of red paint in
the new mixture?
 Solution:
We divide the solution into parts.
Find the volume of red paint in the original 25% of 20 L is 5 L of red
mixture: paint

Find the total volume of red paint: 4 L + 5 L = 9 L of red paint

Find the total volume of the whole mixture: 20L + 4 L = 24 L of the

mixture
Calculate the new percentage: 9L
24 L = 0.375 = 37.5 %

Thus, 37.5% of the new mixture is red paint.

Solve a Simpler Problem

► Example: Two workers can

make two chairs in two days.
How many chairs can 8
workers working at the same
rate make in 20 days?
Solution:
► First find how many chairs each worker can
make in two days. Divide 2 chairs by 2
workers. (2 ÷ 2 = 1) So, each worker can
make 1 chair in 2 days.
► To find how many chairs each worker can
make in 20 days, divide 20 by 2. (20 ÷ 2 =
10)
► Now find how many chairs 8 workers can
make by multiplying 8 by 10. (8 ∙ 10 = 80)
► So, 8 workers can make 80 chairs in 20 days.
Problem Solving Activity
There was a jar of chocolate chip cookies on the
table. James and Monica were very hungry
because they hadn’t had anything to eat since
breakfast, so they ate half the cookies. Then
victor came along and noticed the cookies. He ate
a third of what was left in the jar. Sharon, who
was waiting around nearby, decided to take a
fourth of the cookies left in the jar. Then Tiffany
came rushing up and took one cookie to munch on
in her class. When Valerie looked at the cookie
jar, she saw there were two cookies left. How
many cookies were in the jar to begin with?
Answer Activity S1.31
Page 24
1. UNDERSTANDING THE
PROBLEM

understand the problem

determine the unknown
determine the given
identify the conditions
2. Devising a plan
find the connection between the
data and the unknown
choose an appropriate strategy that
can be used to solve the problem
STRATEGIES:
1. making a table
2. making an illustration/drawing
3. eliminating possibilities
2. Devising a plan
4. writing an equation/ using a
variable
5. Solving a simpler problem
6. Pigeonhole principle
7. Making a model
8. Breaking up the question
9. Giving a counter example
10. Trial and error / guess and check
2. Devising a plan
1. Work backwards
2. Look for a pattern
3. Examine a simpler or a special
case of the problem to gain
insight into the solution of the
original problem
14. Examine related problems
and determine if the same
technique applied to them
can be applied to the
current problem.
15. Use direct and indirect
reasoning.
3. Carrying out the plan
solve the problem by applying
your plan or the strategy that
you have chosen.
NOTE: you may need to
use at least one strategy
in finding the solution to
the problem.
4. Looking back
Examine the solution you have
obtained.
Check if your answer satisfies the
problem.
If possible, derive again the solution,
but this time, use another method.
If you will get the same result then
that means the solution that you got is
correct.
 Example 1:
In three bowling games, Lea scored 138, 141,
and 144. What score will she need in a fourth
game in order to have an average score of 145
for all four games?
►
 Example 2:

Example: Find the

25 81
units digit of 13 + 4
411
+5 .
 Solution:
Understand the Problem
Express the sum as a single whole number with no exponent and
determine the digit in the one’s place.
Devise a Plan
The given number is a huge number and we cannot see its unit digit
directly using calculator. The computation gets messy, if we do
straightforward multiplication and addition. Thus, we look at
simpler cases and look for a pattern.
Carry out the Plan
The units digit of 1325 is 3 based on the following observation:
In the same manner, the units digit of 481 is 4. Units digit of is
The units digit of 5411 is 5 since any multiple of 5 ends with 5. 130 1
131 3
Therefore, the units digit of 1325 + 481 + 5411 is the unit digit 3 + 4 + 5 = 12, 132 9
which is 2. 133 7
Look back 134 1
The solution follows a careful analysis and a step-by-step approach. So we are 135 3
assured that the answer is correct. One can also verify this solution using modular
arithmetic.
1324 1
1325 3
Example 3: Ryan numbered his
miniature race car collection according
____ ____ ____
to the following rules: 2 x 2 x 5 = 20
► It has to be a 3-digit number.
hundreds place = 1 ,2
► The digit in the hundreds place is less
tens place = 8 ,9
than 3. 0nes place =1, 3,5 ,7 9
► The digit in the tens place is greater
than 7. Enumerate / List
181 191 281 291
► The digit in the ones place is odd.
183 193 283 293
► If Ryan used every possibility and 185 195 285 295
each car had a different number, how 187 197 287 297
many cars did Ryan have in his 189 199 289 299
collection?
Solution:
► Understand the Problem: How many
digits are there in the numbers? (3)
What digits could be in the hundreds place? (1
or 2) Tens place? (8 or 9) Ones place? (1, 3, 5,
7, or 9)
► Devise a Plan : If 1 is in the hundreds
place, what digits could be in the tens
place? (8 or 9) Ones place? (1, 3, 5, 7, or 9)
What are the possible numbers having a 1 in
the hundreds place and an 8 in the lens place?
(181, 183, 185, 187, and 189)
Are there are any other numbers you can use
in the hundreds place if you leave the 8 in the
tens place and the odd numbers in the ones
place? (yes, a 2) What are the numbers? (281,
283, 285, 287, and 289)
What other digit can be used in the tens
place? (9)
Solution:
Strategy: Make a list
► Carry out the Plan: Make an
Organized List
► 181 281 191 291
183 283 193 293
185 285 195 295
187 287 197 297
189 289 199 299
Ryan had 20 cars in his collection.
► Look back: The above list is
complete since it is an organized list
which follows the given rules.
Mathematical Reasoning
Inductive Reasoning
A process of reaching a general conclusion by
examining specific examples.

Deductive Reasoning
Is the process of reaching a conclusion by applying
the general assumptions, procedures, or principles.

Logic Puzzles
Is a puzzle deriving from the mathematics field of
deduction
Examples:
1. Use inductive reasoning to
predict the next number in
each of the following lists.
2, 8, 14, 20, 26, ___
1, 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, ___
► Solution
► Each successive number is 6 larger than the preceding number. Thus we
expect that the next number in the list is 6 larger than 26, which is 32.
►

► The first two numbers differ by 1. The second and the third numbers differ by
3. The third and the fourth number differ by 5. It appears that the difference
between any two numbers is always an odd number. In particular, the
difference between the nth and (n + 1)th term is the 2n – 1. Since 26 is the 6th
term, we predict that the next number in the list will be 2(6) – 1 = 11 larger
than 26, which is 37.
Example 2:

Consider the following. Pick a number.

Multiply the number by 4, add 8 to the
product, divide the sum by 2, and subtract
5. 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.
Suppose we start with 7 as the original number. Then repeat the
process for different numbers. The procedure yields the
following:
Original 7 3 20 150 200
number:
Multiply by 4: 7 ∙ 4 = 28 12 80 600 800
Add 8: 28 + 8 = 36 20 88 608 808
Divide by 2: 36 ÷ 2 = 18 10 44 304 404
Subtract 5: 18 – 5 = 13 5 39 299 399

We conjecture that the given procedure produces a number that

is one less than twice the original number.
When you use inductive reasoning, you have no guarantee that
your conclusion is correct. Just because a pattern holds true for a
few cases, it does not mean the pattern will continue. 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.
Example 3:
►
We started with n and ended with 2n – 1. This implies that
the procedure given in this example produces a number that
is one less than twice the original number.
Deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning often move in
opposite directions: where the former tends to go from
general premises to specific conclusions, the latter often
goes the other way—from specific examples to general
conclusions. Deductive reasoning implies logical certainty
while inductive reasoning only gives you reasonable
probability.
Example 4:

Three musicians appeared at a concert. Their

last names were Benton, Lanier, and Rosario.
Each plays only one of the following instruments:
guitar, piano, or saxophone.
► Benton and the guitar player arrived at the
concert together.
► The saxophone player performed before
Benton.
► Rosario wished the guitar player good luck.
► Who played each instrument?
Solution:
The solution can be summarized using a chart. From
Clue 1, Benton is not the guitarist. We mark X1 (this
means “ruled out by clue 1”), in the guitar column of
Benton’s row. From clue 2, Benton does not play
saxophone, hence he must be the pianist. From Clue
3, Rosario is not the guitar player. Hence, Rosario
plays saxophone. This leaves Lanier as the guitar
player.
guitar piano saxophone
Benton X1 Yes X2
Lanier Yes No No
Rosario X3 No Yes

Benton plays piano, Lanier plays guitar, and

Rosario plays the saxophone.