SECTION I.

THE NATURE OF MATHEMATICS

Module 3. .REASONING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

Lesson 1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

Lesson 2: Polya’s Problem Solving Strategy
Lesson 3. Recreational Problems using Mathematics

Learning Outcomes : At the end of the module, you should be able to:
Use different types of reasoning to justify statements and arguments
made about mathematics and mathematical concepts.
Solve problems involving problems and recreational problems following
Polya’s four steps.
Organize one’s methods and approaches to proving and solving problems.

Overview
This module consist of three lessons: Inductive and Deductive Reasoning ,
Polya’s Problem Solving Strategy , Recreational Problems using Mathematics. Each
lesson was designed as a self-teaching guide. Definitions of terms and examples had
been incorporated. Answering the problems in “your turn” will check your progress. You
may compare your answers to the solutions provided at the later part of this module in
that way you will be able to measure your achievement and as well as the effectiveness
of the module. Exercises for further understanding will be given to you in a separate file.

Introduction
Mathematics has always been seen as a tool for problem solving. Math by nature is based
on logical and valid reasoning so that it used for decision – making. A good decision maker is one
who can find resolution using his/ her reasoning ability and mathematical strategy. In this chapter,
you will learn to organize your own methods and approaches to solve mathematical problems.

Discussion

Lesson 1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning
The type of reasoning that uses specific examples to reach a general conclusion is called
inductive reasoning . The conclusion formed by using inductive reasoning is called conjecture
which may or may not correct. For instance, the following are examples of inductive reasoning:
- 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.
The conclusion, however, may not be accurate because Jenny would have still
be late even she leaves early due to she might encounter some unexpected
circumstances causing her to be late.
- 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.
The conclusion, however, may not be correct. There might some other
chair/s in that house that is/are not red.

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Even when you examine a list of numbers and predict the next number in the list
according to some pattern you have observed, you are also using inductive reasoning.

Example Use Inductive Reasoning to Predict a Number

a. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, ? b. 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, ?

Solution
a. Each successive number is 3 larger than the preceding number. Thus we predict
that
the next number in the list is 3 larger than 15, which is 18.

b. The first two numbers differ by 2. The second and the third numbers differ by 3.

It appears that the difference between any two numbers is always 1 more than the
preceding difference. Since 10 and 15 differ by 5, we predict that the next number in
the list will be 6 larger than 15, which is 21.
.

Use inductive reasoning to predict the next number

Your turn
in each of the following lists.
a. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, ? b. 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, ?

Example 2
Use inductive reasoning to make a conjecture out of the
following procedure.
1. Pick a number.
2. Multiply the number by 8,
3. Add 6 to the product
4. Divide the sum by 2
5. And subtract 3.
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.
Solution
Suppose we pick 5 as our original number. Then the procedure would produce the following
results:
Original number: 5
Multiply by 8 : 8×5=40
Add 6: 40+6=46
Divide by 2: 46÷ 2=23
Subtract 3: 23−3=20
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We started with 5 and followed the procedure to produce 20. Starting with 6 as our original
number produces a fi nal result of 24. Starting with 10 produces a final result of 40. Starting
with 100 produces a final result of 400. In each of these cases the resulting number is four
times the original number. We conjecture that following the given procedure produces a
number that is four times the original number.

Your turn Consider the following procedure: Pick a number. Multiply the
number by 9, add 15 to the product, divide the sum by 3, 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.
Scientists often use inductive reasoning. For instance, Galileo Galilei (1564– 1642) used
inductive reasoning to discover that the time required for a pendulum to complete one swing,
called the period of the pendulum, depends on the length of the pendulum. Galileo did not have
a clock, so he measured the periods of pendulums in “heartbeats.” The following table shows
some results obtained for pendulums of various lengths. For the sake of convenience, a length
of 10 inches has been designated as 1 unit.

Length of pendulum, Period of pendulum,

in units in heartbeats
1 1
4 2
9 3
16 4
25 5
36 6
Example 3 Use the data in the table and inductive reasoning to
answer each of the following questions.
a. If a pendulum has a length of 49 units, what is its period?
b. If the length of a pendulum is quadrupled, what happens to its period?
Solution
a. In the table, each pendulum has a period that is the square root of its length. Thus we
conjecture that a pendulum with a length of 49 units will have a period of 7 heartbeats.
b. In the table, a pendulum with a length of 4 units has a period that is twice that of a pendulum
with a length of 1 unit. A pendulum with a length of 16 units has a period that is twice that of a
pendulum with a length of 4 units. It appears that quadrupling the length of a pendulum doubles
its period.

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Your turn

A tsunami is a sea wave produced by an underwater earthquake. The height of a

tsunami as it approaches land depends on the velocity of the tsunami. Use the table at the left
and inductive reasoning to answer each of the following questions.
a. What happens to the height of a tsunami when its velocity is doubled?
b. What should be the height of a tsunami if its velocity is 30 feet per second?

Conclusions based on inductive reasoning may not always be true. In other words, a conjecture
formed by using inductive reasoning may be incorrect. To illustrate this , consider the results
below,

11×(1)(101)=1111
11×(2) (101)=2222
11×(3) (101)=3333
11×(4)(101)=4444
11×(5) (101)=5555
11×(6)(101)=?
Simple arithmetic shows that the answer is 6666; hence it is conjectured that the product of 11
and a multiple of 101 is number where all digits are equal. But is
11 ×n (101)=nnn true for all n , ( n , a natural number)?

Suppose ¿ 10 . Then 11 ×10 (101) =11,110 which obviously does not satisfy the
previous conclusion. This method of disproving a statement is to give a counterexample .

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.

Example 4 Find a counterexample. Verify that each of the following statements is

a false statement by finding counterexample. For all number x :

a. |x| > 0
b. x2>x
c. √ x2 ¿x

Solution
A statement may have many counterexamples, but we need only find one
counterexample to verify that the statement is false.

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a. Let x=0 . Then |0|=0 . Because 0 is not greater than 0, we have found a counterexample. Thus
“for all numbers x, |x| > 0 ” is a false statement.
2
b. For x=1 we have 1 =1 . Since 1 is not greater than 1, we have found a counterexample. Thus
2
“for all numbers x, x >x ” is a false statement.

c. Consider x=−3 . Then √ (−3)2 =√ 9 =3 . Since 3 is not equal to −3 , we have found a

counterexample. Thus “for all numbers √ x2 ¿ x ” is a false statement.

Your turn
Verify that each of the following statements is a false statement by
finding a counterexample for each.
For all numbers x:
x
a. x =1

x+ 3
b. 3 =x +1

c. √ x2 +16=x+ 4

Deductive Reasoning
Another type of reasoning is called deductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning is distinguished
from inductive reasoning in that it is the process of reaching a conclusion by applying general principles
and procedures . For instance, the following are examples of deductive reasoning:

- All squares are rectangle. All rectangles have four angles.

Therefore, logic tells us that all squares have four right angles.

- All dogs have good sense of smell. Blackeye is a dog.

Therefore, using deductive reasoning tells us that Blackeye has a good
sense of smell.

Example 5 Use deductive reasoning to show that the following procedure produces a
number that is four times the original number.
Procedure:
1. Pick a number. Note that Example 5 is the
2. Multiply the number by 8, same as Example 2 except
3. add 6 to the product, that in this example deductive
4. divide the sum by 2,
5.. and subtract 3. reasoning is used.
Solution
Let n represent the original number.
Multiply the number by 8: 8n
Add 6 to the product: 8 n+6
8 n+ 6
Divide the sum by 2: =4 n+3
2
Subtract 3: 4 n+3−3=4 n

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We started with n and ended with 4n. The procedure given in this example produces a number
that is four times the original number.

Your turn Use deductive reasoning to show that the following procedure
produces a number that is three times the original number.
Procedure:
1. Pick a number.
2. Multiply the number by 6,
3. add 10 to the product,
4. divide the sum by 2,
5.and subtract 5.

Hint: Let n represent the original number.

Logic Puzzles
Logic puzzles can be solved by using deductive reasoning and a chart that enables
us to display the given information in a visual manner.

Example 6 Solve a Logic Puzzle

Each of four neighbors, Sean, Maria, Sarah, and Brian, has a different occupation (editor, banker,
chef, or dentist). From the following clues, determine the occupation of each neighbor.
1. Maria gets home from work after the banker but before the dentist.
2. Sarah, who is the last to get home from work, is not the editor.
3. The dentist and Sarah leave for work at the same time.
4. The banker lives next door to Brian.

Solution
From clue 1, Maria is not the banker or the dentist. In the following chart, write (which stands
for “ruled out by clue 1”) in the Banker and the Dentist columns of Maria’s row.

Editor Banker Chef Dentist

Sean
Maria X1 X1
Sarah
Brian

From clue 2, Sarah is not the editor. Write X2 (ruled out by clue 2) in the Editor column of Sarah’s row.
We know from clue 1 that the banker is not the last to get home, and we know from clue 2 that Sarah is
the last to get home; therefore, Sarah is not the banker. Write X2 in the Banker column of Sarah’s row.

Editor Banker Chef Dentist

Sean
Maria X1 X1
Sarah X2 X2
Brian

From clue 3, Sarah is not the dentist. Write X3 for this condition. There are now Xs for three of the four
occupations in Sarah’s row; therefore, Sarah must be the chef. Place a √ in that box. Since Sarah is
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the chef, none of the other three people can be the chef. Write X3 for these conditions. There are now Xs
for three of the four occupations in Maria’s row; therefore, Maria must be the editor. Insert a √ to indicate
that Maria is the editor, and write X3 twice to indicate that neither Sean nor Brian is the editor.
Editor Banker Chef Dentist
Sean X3 X3
Maria √ X1 X3 X1
Sarah X2 X2 √ X3
Brian X3 X3

From clue 4, Brian is not the banker. Write X4 for this condition. Since there are three Xs in the Banker
column, Sean must be the banker. Place a √ in that box. Thus Sean cannot be the dentist. Write X4 in
that box. Since there are 3 Xs in the Dentist column, Brian must be the dentist. Place a √ in that box.
Editor Banker Chef Dentist
Sean X3 √ X3 X4
Maria √ X1 X3 X1
Sarah X2 X2 √ X3
Brian X3 X4 X3 √

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

Brianna, Ryan, Tyler, and Ashley were recently elected as the new class officers
Your turn (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer) of the sophomore class at Summit
College. From the following clues, determine which position each holds.

1. Ashley is younger than the president but older than the treasurer.
2. Brianna and the secretary are both the same age, and they are the
youngest members of the group.
3. Tyler and the secretary are next-door neighbors.

Lesson 2. Polya’s Problem Solving Strategy

One of the foremost recent mathematicians to make a study of problem solving was
George Polya (1887–1985). He was born in Hungary and moved to the United States in 1940.In
his book How to Solve It”, George Polya enumerates the four steps of problem –solving :
1. Understand the problem.
2. Devise a plan.
3. Carry out the plan.
4. Review the solution.

Understand the Problem This part of Polya’s four-step strategy is often overlooked. You
must have a clear understanding of the problem. To help you focus on understanding the
problem, consider the following questions.
■ Can you restate the problem in your own words?
■ Can you determine what is known about these types of problems?
■ Is there missing information that, if known, would allow you to solve the problem?
■ Is there extraneous information that is not needed to solve the problem?
■ What is the goal?

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Devise a Plan Successful problem solvers use a variety of techniques when they
attempt to solve a problem. Here are some frequently used procedures.
■ Make a list of the known information.
■ Make a list of information that is needed.
■ Draw a diagram.
■ Make an organized list that shows all the possibilities.
■ Make a table or a chart.
■ Work backwards.
■ Try to solve a similar but simpler problem.
■ Look for a pattern.
■ Write an equation. If necessary, define what each variable represents.
■ Perform an experiment.
■ Guess at a solution and then check your result.

Carry Out the Plan Once you have devised a plan, you must carry it out.
■ Work carefully.
■ Keep an accurate and neat record of all your attempts.
■ Realize that some of your initial plans will not work and that you may have to devise another
plan or modify your existing plan.

Review the Solution Once you have found a solution, check the solution.
■ Ensure that the solution is consistent with the facts of the problem.
■ Interpret the solution in the context of the problem.
■Ask yourself whether there are generalizations of the solution that could apply
toother problems.
HISTORICAL
NOTE
Example 7 Apply Polya’s Strategy
Leonardo da Vinci was a famous artist during the renaissance period. He wrote in his
notebook that “from the top to the bottom of the chin is the sixth part of the face, and it is
the fifty-fourth part of the man.” Suppose the distance from the top pf the chin of the person
is 1.2 inches. Using Leonardo da Vinci’s measurements, find the height of the person.

Solution
Understand the Problem. Obviously, one needs to find the height of the person in this problem.

Devise a Plan. Let x represent the unknown height of the person. Write an equation
satisfying da Vinci’s measurements.

Carry Out the Plan.

Let x=height of the person

Review the solution. The solution is quite simple. . Now check your progress- follow
Leonardo da Vinci’s measurements to find your best friend’s height .

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 Your turn
An agency charged ₱15, 000 for a 3-day and 2-night tour in Macau
and ₱20,000 for the same tour with a side trip to Hongkong(HK). Ten
persons joined the trip, which enable them to collect ₱170,000 . How
many tourist made a side trip to Hongkong ?

A baseball team won two out of their last four games. In how many
Example 8 different orders could they have two wins and two losses in four games?
Solution
Understand the Problem . There are many different orders. The team may have won two
straight games and lost the last two (WWLL). Or maybe they lost the fi rst two games and won
the last two (LLWW). Of course there are other possibilities, such as WLWL.

Devise a Plan. We will make an organized list of all the possible orders. An organized list is a list that is
produced using a system that ensures that each of the different orders will be listed once and only once.

Carry Out the Plan. Each entry in our list must contain two Ws and two Ls. We will use a
strategy that makes sure each order is considered, with no duplications. One such strategy is to
always write a W unless doing so will produce too many Ws or a duplicate of one of the
previous orders. If it is not possible to write a W, then and only then do we write an L. This
strategy produces the six different orders shown below.
1. WWLL (Start with two wins)
2. WLWL (Start with one win)
3. WLLW
4. LWWL (Start with one loss)
5. LWLW
6. LLWW (Start with two losses)

Review the Solution . We have made an organized list. The list has no duplicates and the list
considers all possibilities, so we are confident that there are six different orders in which a
baseball team can win exactly two out of four games.

Your turn
A true-false quiz contains five questions. In how many ways can a
student answer the questions if the student answers two of the questions
with “false” and the other three with “true”?
Example 9
In consecutive turns of a Monopoly game, Stacy fi rst paid $800 for a hotel.
She then lost
half her money when she landed on Boardwalk. Next, she collected $200 for
passing GO. She then lost half her remaining money when
she landed on Illinois Avenue. Stacy now has $2500. How much did she have just before she
purchased the hotel?

Solution

Understand the Problem. We need to determine the number of dollars that Stacy had just
prior to her $800 hotel purchase.
Devise a Plan. We could guess and check, but we might need to make several guesses before we
found the correct solution. An algebraic method might work, but setting up the necessary equation
could be a challenge. Since we know the end result, let’s try the method of working backwards.
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Carry Out the Plan. Stacy must have had $5000 just before she landed on Illinois Avenue;
$4800 just before she passed GO; and $9600 prior to landing on Boardwalk. This means she
had $10,400 just before she purchased the hotel.

Review the Solution. To check our solution we start with $10,400 and proceed through each of
the transactions. $10,400 less $800 is $9600. Half of $9600 is $4800. $4800 increased by $200
is $5000. Half of $5000 is $2500.

Your turn

Melody picks a number. She doubles the number, squares the result, divides
the square by 3, subtracts 30 from the quotient, and gets 18. What are the possible
numbers that Melody could have picked? What operation does Melody perform that prevents
us from knowing with 100% certainty which number she picked?

Lesson 3. Recreational Problems Using Mathematics

Mathematics can also be used to solve some recreational activities such as :

o Soduko
o Magic Square
o KenKen Puzzle
o Tower of Hanoi

Sudoku Puzzle
Sudoku Puzzle -is a logic-based, combinatorial number-placement puzzle. The objective is
to fill a 9×9 grid with digits so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3
subgrids that compose the grid contains all of the digits from 1 to 9 .
Solve the following soduko puzzle.

Magic Square
A magic square is a square array of numbers consisting of the distinct positive integers
1, 2, 3,… arranged such that the sum of n numbers in any horizontal , vertical, and main
diagonal line is always the same .
The magic square below has order 3, and the sum of the numbers in each row,
column, and diagonal is 15.

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KenKen Puzzles
KenKen® is an arithmetic-based logic puzzle that was invented by the Japanese
mathematics teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto in 2004. The noun “ken” has “knowledge” and “awareness”
as synonyms. Hence, KenKen translates as knowledge squared, or awareness squared.

Rules for Solving a KenKen Puzzle

For a 3 by 3 puzzle, fill in each box (square) of the grid with one of the numbers 1, 2, or 3.
For a 4 by 4 puzzle, fill in each square of the grid with one of the numbers 1, 2, 3, or 4.
For a n by n puzzle, fill in each square of the grid with one of the numbers 1, 2, 3, ... , n.

Grids range in size from a 3 by 3 up to a 9 by 9.

• Do not repeat a number in any row or column.
• The numbers in each heavily outlined set of squares, called cages, must combine (in some order) to
produce the target number in the top left corner of the cage using the mathematical operation indicated.
• Cages with just one square should be filled in with the target number.
• A number can be repeated within a cage as long as it is not in the same row or column.

Here is a 4 by 4 puzzle and its solution. Properly constructed puzzles have a unique solution.

Basic Puzzle Solution Strategies

Single-Square Cages Fill cages that consist of a single square with the target number for that square.

Cages with Two Squares Next examine the cages with exactly two squares. Many cages that cover two
squares will only have two digits that can be used to fill the cage. For instance, in a 5 by 5 puzzle, a
20 × cage with exactly two squares can only be filled with 4 and 5 or 5 and 4.
Large or Small Target Numbers Search for cages that have an unusually large or small target number.
These cages generally have only a few combinations of numbers that can be used to fill the cage.

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Tower of Hanoi
Another equally famous problem involving patterns is the Tower of Hanoi , invented by
Edouard Lucas in 1883. The Tower of Hanoi is a puzzle consisting of three pegs and a
number of disks of distinct diameters piled as shown in the figure below.

The puzzle requires that all the disks be moved from first peg to the third peg such that
the largest disk is on the bottom , the next largest disk is placed on top of the largest disk
and so on and that only one disk be moved at a time . All pegs may be used .

Determine the minimum number of moves required to transfer the disks from the peg to the
third peg for each of the following situations .
a. You start with only one disk.
b. You start with two disks.
c. You start with three disks. (Note: You can use a
stack of various size coins to simulate the puzzle, or
you can use one of the many websites that provide a simulation of the puzzle. Ex.
https://www.mathisfun.com/games/towerofhanoi.html)
d. You start with four disks.
e. You start with fi ve disks.
f. You start with n disks.

Summary
The following tables summarizes essential concepts in this module.

1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

The type of reasoning that uses specific See example 1 to 4 and then try to answer Your
examples to reach a general conclusion is Turn 1 to 4.
called inductive reasoning . The conclusion
formed by using inductive reasoning is called
conjecture which may or may not correct.
Deductive reasoning is distinguished See example 5 to 6 and then try to answer Your
from inductive reasoning in that it is the Turn 5 to 6.
process of reaching a conclusion by
applying general principles and procedures
2. Polya’s Problem Solving Strategy
George Polya enumerates the four See example 7 to 9 and then try to answer Your
steps of problem –solving : Turn 7 to 9.
1. Understand the problem.
2. Devise a plan.
3. Carry out the plan.
4. Review the solution

3. Recreational Problems using

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Mathematics

Sudoku Puzzle
Sudoku Puzzle -is a logic-based,
combinatorial number-placement puzzle. The
objective is to fill a 9×9 grid with digits so that
each column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3
subgrids that compose the grid contains all of the
digits from 1 to 9
Magic Square
A magic square is a square array of
numbers consisting of the distinct positive integers
1, 2, 3,… arranged such that the sum of n
numbers in any horizontal , vertical, and main
diagonal line is always the same .

KenKen Puzzles
KenKen® is an arithmetic-based logic
puzzle that was invented by the Japanese
mathematics
teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto in 2004. The noun
“ken” has “knowledge” and “awareness” as
synonyms. Hence, KenKen translates as
knowledge squared, or awareness squared.

Tower of Hanoi
The puzzle requires that all the disks be moved
from first peg to the third peg such that the largest
disk is on the bottom , the next largest disk is
placed on top of the largest disk and so on and that
only one disk be moved at a time . All pegs may be
used .

Answers to Your turn

1. a. Each successive number is 5 larger than the preceding number. Thus we
predict that the next number in the list is 5 larger than 25, which is 30.
b. The fi rst two numbers differ by 3. The second and third numbers differ by 5. It
appears that the difference between any two numbers is always 2 more than the preceding difference.
Thus we predict that the next number will be 11 more than 26, which is 37.
2. If the original number is 2, then 2 × 9+15 −5=6 , which is three times the original number.
3
7 × 9+15
If the original number is 7, then −5=21 , which is three times the original
3
number.
If the original number is −12 , then 12×9+15 −5=−36 which is three times the
3
original number.
It appears, by inductive reasoning, that the procedure produces a number that is
three times the original number.

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3. a. It appears that when the velocity of a tsunami is doubled, its height is
quadrupled.
b. A tsunami with a velocity of 30 feet per second will have a height that is four times that
of a tsunami with a speed of 15 feet per second. Thus, we predict a
height of 4× 25=100 feet for a tsunami with a velocity of 30 feet per second.

x
4. a. Let ¿ 0 . Then
≠ 1, because division by 0 is undefi ned.
x
b. Let x=1 . Then x +3 = 1+3 = 4 , whereas x+1=1+1=2
3 3 3
c. Let ¿ 3 . Then √ x2 +16 =√ 32+16=√ 25 =5 , whereas x+4=3+ 4=7.

5. Let n represent the original number.

Multiply the number by 6: 6n
Add 10 to the product: 6 n+10
Divide the sum by 2: 6n+10 =3 n+5
2
Subtract 5: 3 n+5−5=3 n
The procedure always produces a number that is three times the original number.

6. From clue 1, we know that Ashley is not the president or the treasurer. In the following chart, write
X1 (which stands for “ruled out by clue 1”) in the President and Treasurer columns of Ashley’s row.
Pres. V.P Sec. Treas.
Brianna
Ryan
Tyler
Ashley X1 X1

From clue 2, Brianna is not the secretary. We know from clue 1 that the president is not the
youngest, and we know from clue 2 that Brianna and the secretary are the youngest members
of the group. Thus Brianna is not the president. In the chart, write X2 for these two conditions.
Also we know from clues 1 and 2 that Ashley is not the secretary, because she is older than the
treasurer. Write an X2 in the Secretary column of Ashley’s row.
Pres. V.P Sec. Treas.
Brianna X2 X2
Ryan
Tyler
Ashley X1 X2 X1

At this point we see that Ashley must be the vice president and that none of the other members
is the vice president. Thus we can update the chart as shown below.
Pres. V.P Sec. Treas.
Brianna X2 X2 X2
Ryan X2
Tyler X2
Ashley X1 √ X2 X1

Now we can see that Brianna must be the treasurer and that neither Ryan nor Tyler is the
treasurer. Update the chart as shown below.

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 Pres. V.P Sec. Treas.
Brianna X2 X2 X2 √
Ryan X2 X2
Tyler X2 X2
Ashley X1 √ X2 X1
From clue 3, we know that Tyler is not the secretary. Thus we can conclude that Tyler is the president
and Ryan must be the secretary. See the chart below.
Pres. V.P Sec. Treas.
Brianna X2 X2 X2 √
Ryan X3 X2 √ X2
Tyler √ X2 X3 X2
Ashley X1 √ X2 X1
Tyler is the president, Ashley is the vice president, Ryan is the secretary, and Brianna is the treasurer.

7. Understand the Problem . There are two types of tourist in the situation given . Some purely stayed in
Macau while others made a side trip to HK. From the total collection, how much was the amount collected
from those who purely stayed in Macau and how much was collected from those who made the side trips
to HK.It is needed to know how many were bound for Macau who made a side trip to HK.

Devise a Plan . Use x and y to represent the two types of tourists . Define these variables . Let x
be the
number of tourist bound for Macau alone and y be the number of tourist bound for Macau but who
made a side
trip to Hongkong. Hence, we have the following algebraic equations:
₱15,000 x=¿ amount collected from the tourist bound for Macau alone
₱15,000 y=¿ amount collected from the tourist bound for Macau but who made a side trip to HK

Carry Out a Plan . Write the equation and solve using elimination method system of equations.
Equations:
x+ y=10 Equation 1
15,000 x +20,000 y=170,000 Equation 1

To find the number of tourists for Macau but who made a side trip to HK, we solve for y .
To do this , we use elimination by substitution.

a. Solve for y in Equation 1

x+ y=10
y=10−x Equation 3

b. Substitute y=10−x in Equation 2

15,000 x +20,000 (10− x)=170,000
15,000 x +200,000−20,000 x =170,000
−5,000 x=170,000−200,000
−5,000 x=−30,000
x= −30,000
−5000
x=6

Substituting x=6 in Equation 3, y=4

Therefore, four tourists made a side trip to HK.

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8. Understand the Problem There are several ways to answer the questions so that two
answers are “false” and three answers are “true.” One way is TTTFF and another is FFTTT.

Devise a Plan Make an organized list. Try the strategy of listing a T unless doing so will
produce too many Ts or a duplicate of one of the previous orders in your list.

Carry Out the Plan (Start with three Ts in a row.)

TTTFF (1)
TTFTF (2)
TTFFT (3)
TFTTF (4)
TFTFT (5)
TFFTT (6)
FTTTF (7)
FTTFT (8)
FTFTT (9)
FFTTT (10)

Review the Solution Each entry in the list has two Fs and three Ts. Since the list is complete
and has no duplications, we know that there are 10 ways for a student to mark two questions
with “false” and the other three with “true.

9. Understand the Problem. We are asked to find the possible numbers that Melody could
have started with.

Devise a Pla.n Work backward from 18 and do the inverse of each operation that Melody performed.
Carry Out the Plan To get 18, Melody subtracted 30 from a number, so that number was 18+30=48

. To get 48, she divided a number by 3, so that number was 48 ×3=144. To get 144, she
squared a number. She could have squared either 12 or −12¿ produce 144. If the number she
squared was 12, then she must have doubled 6 to get 12. If the number she squared was -12,
then the number she doubled was −6.

Review the Solution We can check by starting with 6 or −6 If we do exactly as Melody did,
we end up with 18. The operation that prevents us from knowing with 100% certainty which
number she started with is the squaring operation. We have no way of knowing whether the
number she squared was a positive number or a negative number.

References :
Blay et. all, Mathematical Trips in the Modern World Outcomes-Based Approach
Nocon et. al , Essential Mathematics for the Modern World
Baltazar et. al, Mathematics in the Modern World
Aufman,Richard et. al, Mathematics in the Modern World

Photo credits:

 Tower of Hanoi, Aufman,Richard et. al, Mathematics in the Modern

World
 Kenken puzzle, Aufman,Richard et. al, Mathematics in the Modern World
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