20 Math11n: Mathematics in the Modern World

Lesson 2.1: Problem-solving Strategy or

Heuristics

Lesson Summary
Most occupations require excellent problem-solving skills. Hence, this lesson
provides us more understanding of the different ways of solving problems.
This lesson will enable us to choose the appropriate strategy in solving a
specific situation.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:
1. Define what a problem is.
2. Enumerate and discuss the families of the problem.
3. Apply the different problem-solving strategies or heuristics.

Motivation Question
What will happen if an immovable object meets an invincible force? Will the
unstoppable force move the immovable object?

Discussion

Introduction

A problem is a condition that challenges the learner to find a

resolution, and for which the route to the answer is not instantly known. A
question is a problem if the process or method of solution is not directly
known but requires applying creativity and previous knowledge in new and
unfamiliar situations.
Problems can be of many types, but they require both intellectual and
guide activity for answers. Solving a Jig-saw puzzle is manual but requires
dynamic mental insight to place the fragments of puzzles in the correct place.
Solving a math problem requires mental activity, but the solvers present the
solution on paper using hands and fingers.

Problems and Problem-solving

Teachers often cluster problems by natures and establish to the class

how to approach them. These might include problems dealing with uniform
motion, age, mixture, percent, and so on. These are referred to as exercises

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rather than problems because recognizing the type of problem provides the
learner with the path (or method) for arriving at the correct answer.
Definition 1. Problem
A problem is a condition that challenges the learner to find a
resolution, and for which the route to the answer is not instantly known.
Definition 2. Exercise
If the answer or even the process for solving the problem is evident, it
is no longer a problem but just an exercise.
Remarks:
A question is a problem if the process of solution is not directly known
but requires the student to apply imagination and prior knowledge in new and
unfamiliar circumstances.
To have a problem means to find actions appropriate to attain clearly
conceived but not immediately attainable solutions.

Families of Problem

1. Recreational Problems. This is also known as brain teasers; these

problems usually complex to little formal mathematics but, instead,
rely on the creative use of basic strategic principles. They are
excellent to work on because no specialized knowledge is needed, and
any time spent thinking about a recreation problem will help us later
with more mathematically complex issues.
Examples:
a. Who makes it but has no need for it? Who buys it but has no use for it?
Who uses it but can neither see nor feel it? What is it?
Answer: A coffin.
b. What has a head and a tail, but no body?
Answer: A coin.
c. What has an eye but cannot see?
Answer: A needle
2. Contest Problems. They are usually encountered during formal exams
with limits. Often requiring specialized tools and, or ingenuity to solve.
Numerous exams at the high school and undergraduate level involve
sophisticated and exciting mathematics.
Examples: quiz bee, term exams, and quizzes.
3. Open-Ended Problems. These are mathematical situations that are
sometimes vaguely worded and possibly have many solutions.
Example:
Arrange all 12 numbers from 1-12 in the box below without being
close to the numbers that follow or precede them.

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Answer:
In this problem, we can have many ways to present the answer. As we
can see, no numbers in the box are close (vertically, horizontally,
diagonally) to the numbers that follow or precede them.
4 7

6 1 9 2

3 12 5 11

10 8

Common Types of Problem

1. Arrangement problems. These problems require recognition and

transformation to solve. Examples are Jig-saw puzzles and word
puzzles.

Figure 11. Jigsaw Puzzle

(Image retrieved from:

www.estatecloud.co.ke)

RWAET - WATER
KEROJ - JOKER Word Puzzle

2. Transformation problems. These problems require trial and error and

sequential steps to solve. Examples are maze problems and the tower
of Hanoi.

Figure 12. Maze puzzle and tower of Hanoi

(Images retrieved from: www.sharksicecream.com and www.commons.wikimedia.org)

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3. Structure problems. These problems are with words, symbols, e.g.,

series problems in math, require sequence/transformation. These
require recognition, mental and cognitive processes.
Example: 2x+3=5, find the value of x.
4. Insight problems. These problems are seemed impossible to figure
out, but then an alternative suddenly arise, and the problem is solved.
These problems may have different solutions.
Example:
The product of two whole numbers is 96, and their sum is less than
30. What are the possibilities for the two numbers?
Answer:
4 and 24, 6 and 16, 8, and 12.
Check: 4(24) =96, 4+24=28 which is less than 30.
6(16) =96, 6+16=22 which is less than 30.
8(12) =96, 8+12=20 which is less than 30.

Problem-solving Strategies/Heuristics

A. Finding a pattern. It is a strategy in which students look for patterns in

the data to solve the problem.

Examples: Try to find the next pattern in each problem.

1. What is the next shape?

2. Raymund wants to know the next two numbers of the following
sequence: 4.00, 4.25, 4.50, 4.75, 5.00, 5.25, ____, ____.
3. What is the next number? 1,4,9,16,25, ___

Answers to examples:

1.
2. 5.50 and 5.75. Simply add .25 each

3. 36. Here, we have to square the counting numbers starting 1 ( ,

, , and so on).
B. Logical Reasoning. It is
conditional statement in solving problems, using rational, systematic
series of steps based on sound mathematical procedures and given
statements to conclude.
Examples: Try to answer the following logical problems.
1.

a. -in-law
b.
c.
d. None of the above
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 24 Math11n: Mathematics in the Modern World

2. Some of the months have 30 days. Some months have 31 days. How
many months have 30 days?
3. Jason wears socks of two colors, blue and yellow. He has 20 blue
socks and 20 yellow socks in a drawer altogether. Assuming he has to
take out the socks in the dark, how many must he take out to be sure
that he has a pair of socks?
4. If 5x8=28, 3x7=12, 8 x 6 = 35 then find the value of 13 x 13?
Answers to examples:
1. b, Dan and Guy are siblings,

2. 11. Except for February, all other 11 months have 30 days.

3. 2, since you just need to have 2 socks to make it a pair.
4. 144
(5-1) (8-1) = 28
(3-1) (7-1) = 12
(8-1) (6-1) = 35
(13-1) (13-1) = 144
C. Guess and Check. It is a problem-solving approach that students can
use to resolve mathematical problems by predicting the answer and
then inspecting that the guess fits the conditions of the problem. It
requires students to guess a solution, test its exactness, and improve
the guess using logical reasoning.
Purposes of Using Guess and Check
To understand a problem thoroughly.
To home in on a goal.
To learn efficient ways to jump to an answer by noticing patterns
and related algebraic representations.
How to solve problems with guess and check
Read the problem carefully. Make notes or sketch a picture to
organize the information in the problem.
Observe the question that is asked in the problem. Decide what to
guess. Set up a table. Leave extra space for more columns if
needed.
Calculate the entry for a column and label the column
Continue the table until the check is correct.
Write the answer in a complete sentence.
Example:
Florence and Cris sold 12 show tickets altogether. Florence sold two
more tickets than Cris. How many tickets did each girl sell?
Solution:
What do you need to find?
You need to know that 12 tickets were sold in all. You also need to
know that Florence sold two or more tickets than Cris.

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How can you solve the problem?

You can guess and check to find two numbers with a sum of 12 and a
difference of 2. If your first guess does not work, try two different
numbers.
First guess:
Florence= 8 tickets
Cris= 4 tickets
Check:
8+ 4=12
8-4=4 (Florence sold 4 more tickets). These numbers do not work
Second guess:
Florence= 7 tickets
Cris= 5 tickets
Check:
7+5= 12
7-5= 2 (Florence sold 2 more tickets). These numbers do work.
D. Divide and Conquer. It is dividing the significant concentrations into
small ones and then rules them. If the problem is relaxed, answer it
directly. If the problem cannot be solved as is, divide it into smaller
parts and solve one by one.
Example:
The furniture in a classroom consists of tables and chairs. The
teacher is making a seating plan. If two students sit at each table, eight
students will be left without a place. If three students sit at each table,
four tables will be left empty. How many students are there in the room?
(Source: http:/pred.boun.edu.tr/ps/ps4.html)
Solution:
Choose a variable: Let x be the number of tables.
Write an expression for the number of students when they sit in 2s: 2x + 8.
Write an expression for the number of students when they sit in 3s: 3(x-4).
Write an equation: Expressions in (b) and (c) both give the number of
students.
Thus,
3(x-4) = 2x+8
Solve the equation:
3(x-4) = 2x+8
3x 12 = 2x + 8
3x 2x = 8 + 12
x = 20 (number of tables)
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Find the number of students:

2x + 8 = 2(20) + 8 = 48 students
3(x-4) = 3(20-4) = 3(16) = 48 students
There are 48 students in the classroom.
E. Working-Backward. This strategy entails starting with the results and
reversing the steps needed to get those results, to figure out the
answer to the problem. This strategy is tremendously useful in dealing
with a condition or a sequence of events. Students begin at the end
with the final action and work through the process in the reverse
order.
Example:
James walked from Baybay to VSU. It took 1 hour 25 minutes to walk
from Baybay to Marcos. Then it took 25 minutes to walk from Marcos to
VSU. He arrived in VSU at 2:45 PM. At what time did he leave Baybay?
Solution:
What do you need to find?
You need to find the specific time when James had left from Baybay.
How can you solve the problem?
You can work backward from the time James reached VSU. Subtract
the time it took to walk from Marcos to VSU. Then subtract the time it
took to walk from Baybay to Marcos.
Start at 2:45. This is the time James reached VSU.
Subtract 25 minutes. This is the time it took to get from Marcos to
VSU.
The time is 2:20 PM.
Subtract 1 hour 25 minutes. This is the time it took to get from Baybay
to Marcos.
Answer:
James left Baybay at 12:55 PM.
F. Organizing Data. Constructing an organized list, table, chart, or graph
helps students establish their intelligence about a problem. It is also
an essential step in investigating any set of data.
Advantages to students:
Students preserve, spot missing data, and identify essential steps.
It offers a methodical way of recording calculations.
Patterns often develop when data is organized.
It can help students see trends in data, analyze results, and draw
conclusions.
When organizing information, there are several ways of approaching them:
By drawing a picture or diagram. It will help you to see a way to
solve the problem by drawing a picture or representation.

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Example:
Look at the star pattern. One star has five pattern pieces. If your
pattern has three stars, how many pieces will it have in all?
Solution:

1 star

3 stars
Since there are five pieces in a star, three stars will have 15 pieces.
Making a chart, table, list, or graph. It allows the student to
examine the data. This includes a chart, graph, or table that helps
in making comparisons and allows the reader to find numerical
information, which may be needed to make decisions to solve the
problem.
Example:
Tomorrow is the first day of school, and Joy is choosing her outfit
to wear. She has black and green slacks; 3 blouses (red, flowers,
plaid), and two sweaters (beige and cream). How many different
outfits can she make consisting of one pair of slacks, one blouse, and
one sweater?
Solution:
Make a list. Slacks: (B-black, G-green)
Blouses: (R-red, F-flowers, P-plaid)
Sweaters: (B-beige, C-cream)
BRB GRB
BRC GRC
BFB GFB
BFC GFC
BPB GPB
BPC GPC
Therefore, Joy can have 12 different outfits.
G. Act It Out. Students solve the problem by acting and making
themselves the character in the problem. It will give more
understanding to solving the problem.

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Example:
Three adventurers and three supports wish to cross a river. There is a
boat that can carry up to three people, and either adventurers or supports
can operate the boat. However, it is never permissible for supports to
outnumber the adventurers either in a boat or on the shore. How are the
adventurers and supports going to get to the other side?
Solution:
This can be solved by acting out the problem in class 9(or in-home).
The three adventurers and three supports may be played by selected
students (family members). The solution is left as an exercise.

Learning Tasks/Activities
I. Get data of the population from the barangay and present it using a
table or a graph.
II. Construct a problem and provide a solution to it using any of the
strategies.

Assessment
I. Logical Reasoning. Answer the following questions.
a. Five candles stand burning in a living room. A strong breeze blows
in through an open window and extinguishes two of them.
Assuming the wind does not smother any more candles, how
many candles do have left in the end?
b. A rooster leaves an egg at the topmost of a slanted building.
Which side is the egg going to roll-off?
II. Make/Construct a problem that can be solved using different problem-
solving strategies. Choose two (2) heuristics.

Instructions on how to submit student output

Refer to the course policies and course content plan.

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