College/Department PRMSU Sta.

Cruz Campus
College of Teacher Education

Course Code Major 13

Course Title Problem Solving, Mathematical Investigation

and Modelling
Place of the Course in the program Major

Semester & Academic Year First Semester, A.Y. 2024-2025

Lesson 1
NATURE OF PROBLEM AND PROBLEM SOLVING

Learning Outcome

At the end of the lesson the learners can define problem and problem solving.

Lesson Starter

Answer the following questions:

 What is a problem?

 What is problem solving?

Lesson Inputs

The most integral part of school mathematics is learning how facts and skills are applied in real situations rather than rote

memorization. We cannot deny the fact that it is easier to teach students to perform routine computations and memorize facts and

formulas. But it is a challenge to us to develop their problem-solving ability. According to the National Council of Teachers of

Mathematics(NCTM), problem solving should be the central focus of the mathematics curriculum. As such, it is the primary goal

of all mathematics instruction and an integral part of all mathematical activities. Problem solving is not a distinct topic but a

process that should permeate the entire program and provide the context in which concepts and skills should be learned.

Moreover, the National Council of Teachers in Mathematics recognizes that problem solving plays a prominent role in the

mathematics education of K-12 students.

George Poyam father of problem solving, describes a problem as an “unfamiliar situation, quantitative or otherwise for

which no immediate path to the answer is apparent.” Krulik and Rudnick define a problem as a situation that confronts an

individual or group of individuals that requires a solution and for which the individual sees no apparent or obvious means or path

to obtaining the solution. Lester defines a problem as a situation in which an individual or group is called upon to perform task for

which there is no readily accessible algorithm which determines completely the method of solution. Blum and Niss define a

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problem as a situation which has certain open questions that challenge somebody intellectually who is not in immediate

possession of direct methods/procedures/algorithms, etc. sufficient to answer the question. Thus, a problem is relative to the

individuals involved; that is, what is a problem for one person may bean exercise for another. Problem-solving is a mental process

that involves discovering, analyzing and solving problems. Reed posts that the ultimate goal of problem-solving is to overcome

obstacles and find a solution that best resolves. The issue. Problem solving is the process of overcoming obstacles to answer

question or to achieve a goal.

A problem is a situation in which a person wants something but does not know immediately what series of action he should

perform to get it, Problem solving therefor is very much like “finding an exit out from a labyrinth.” Solving word problems

involves performing routine procedures for finding solution while problem solving involves applying previously acquired

knowledge to nre and unfamiliar situations. Based on the given definitions of problem, we can summarize the characteristics of a

problem into two: (1) it requires a solution, and (2) the solution is not immediately obvious.

Lesson Evaluation

Name ____________________________________________________ Score_________

Course _________________________________________________________________

Answer briefly but comprehensively.

1. When can we say that a certain situation is a problem?

2. How is solving word problems different from problem solving?

3. What is a common feature of problem solving based on the definitions given by authorities?

4. Why should problem solving be a focus of the mathematics curriculum?

5. Construct your own definition of problem solving using the acronym MATH.

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Lesson 2

THE LEARNER AS PROBLEM SOLVER

Learning outcomes

At the end of the lesson the learners can

 Describe a good problem solver

 Identify some misconceptions about problems
 List some factors that affect problem solving

Lesson Starter

Answer the following questions:

 What are the traits of a good problem solver?

 What are the factors that can affect your work as a problem solver?

Lesson Inputs

A good problem solver

 needs a variety of problem solving situations in which the focus is on the problem solving process rather than just on
obtaining;

 takes time to solve problems;

 has a desire to solve problems;

 perseveres when solving problems;

 is not afraid to guess;

 is confident, concentrated and courageous;

 is flexible and uses variety of approaches; and

 solves lots of problems and learns from experiences.

However, some teachers have misconceptions of problems in mathematics. Some consider problem as:

 a description of a situation involving stated quantities, followed by a question of some relationship among the quantities
whose answer called for the application of one or more arithmetic operations, and

 an answer, usually a number, and the presence of a unique procedure to obtain that answer.

Corollary to this, students have their share of misconceptions of a mathematical problem, which include the ideas that

 in mathematical word problems, the relative size of numbers is more important than the relationships between
the quantities which they represent.

 Computation problems must be solved by using a step-by-step algorithm, and

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  Mathematics problems have only one correct answer.

Problem solving does not come easy for many students. Some factors which could affect problem solving are the
following:

1. Expertise. This is a factor that differentiates people in their ability to solve problems.

2. Knowledge base. Experts and novices differ in their knowledge base.

3. Memory. Experts and novices differ in memory for specific expertise.

4. Representations. Novices use simplistic representations for solving problems compared to experts.

5.Problem solving strategies. Experts use means-ends heuristics generally to solve problems compared to novices.

6. Speed and Accuracy. Experts are faster and more accurate at solving problems. More parallel that serial processing.

7. Metacognitive skills, Experts are better at monitoring their metacognitive processes that novices.

Lesson Evaluation

Name ____________________________________________________ Score_________

Course _________________________________________________________________

Answer briefly but comprehensively.

1. What traits must a good problem solver possess?

2.What are some of the misconceptions of teachers and students about problem and problem solving?

3. What factors can affect success in the problem solving process?

4. What learning situations in the classroom can develop skills in problem solving?

5. Using a table, list down some misconceptions about problem and problem solving and the corresponding truth that will

contradict the misconceptions. You may refer to the table below:

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 Misconception Truth

(What some believe about problem and problem (What problem and problem solving really is?)
solving)

Lesson 3

Types of problems

Learning Outcome

At the end of the lesson the learners can identify types of problems.

Lesson Starter

Arrange the situations given in the metacards from the simplest to the most complex problem. How are
the situations different in terms of thinking skills?

How many meters of Fifteen people meet for Susan buys 5

steel wire is needed to the first time and shake notebooks at P23 each
make a million paper hands with each other. and a ream of bond
clips? How many handshakes paper at P158. How
took place? much change did she
get from P300?

Draw four straight line Felix has 11 tennis

segments to pass balls. Joseph has 4
504 ÷ 7
through all 9 dots in a 3 more tennis balls. How
by 3 array without many tennis balls does
lifting a pen. Joseph have?

Lesson Inputs

In our everyday life, we encounter a wide variety of problems. In our math classes, these problems might be how to
solve for an equation or how to find for a hypotenuse of a right triangle. In our home, problems might be how to budget for the
daily expenses or how to pay bills for a limited income. Either way, in order to be successful, we must have the ability to solve
different types of problem in different ways.

Educational psychologists classify problems in many ways. One classification is to make a distinction between well-
defined and poorly-defined problems. A well- defined problem is one that has a clear goal or solution, and problem solving
strategies are easily developed. In contrast, a poorly-defined problem is the opposite. It is one that is unclear, abstract, or
confusing, and that does not have a clear problem solving strategy. For example, if the teacher gives a quiz and asks you to list the
set of integers and give examples for each, that would be a well-defined problem. The instructions and outcome are clear. A

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simple recall strategy could be used to come up with the correct answer. However, if the teacher asks you to judge the adequacy of
a theoretical proposition, then that would be a poorly-defined problem. The problem doesn’t yield a particular, certain answer.

Many elementary-school math problems fit into one of the following categories:

1. One-step Translation Problem. This can be solved with a single arithmetic operation. It illustrates common applications of
arithmetic and helps reinforce arithmetic skills.

Example:

There are 6 pencils in the drawer. Evelyn placed 9 more pencils in the drawer. How many pencils are now there in
total?

2. Multi-step Translation Problem. This can be solved with two or more arithmetic steps. It illustrates common applications of
arithmetic and reinforces arithmetic skills, but they require higher-level thinking than one-step problems.

Example:

Regina has an average of 86 in her three math quizzes. What grade must she receive on her next test if she wants to
raise her average to 88?

3. Puzzle Problem. This is often solved with some unusual approach or insight. This is a non-routine problem that develops
flexible thinking.

Example:

Bryan had 18 cows. He sold all but 10. How many cows does he have left?

In general, problems can be categorized as routine and non-routine. Routine problem requires direct application of sets known or
prescribed procedures to solve problems. It presents the question to be answered and the facts or numbers to use. It is one that is
typical and has a simple solution. Below are examples of routine problems.

 Brieven’s mom gave him ₱25.00. His father gave him ₱50.00. His grandmother gave him ₱75.00. How much money does
Brieven have now?

 If a car can travel 25 miles on two gallons of gasoline, how many gallons will be needed for a trip of 150 miles?

On the other hand, non-routine problem is more abstract or subjective and requires a strategy to solve. It requires the use
of heuristics and often requires little to no use algorithms. Heuristics are procedures that, do not guarantee a solution to a
problem but provide a more highly probable method for discovering the solution to a problem. Below are examples of a
non-routine problem.

 You bought a chocolate cake worth P645.00. You handed the cashier P700.00. What bills and coins will the cashier
possible hand in you as your change?

 Mickey and his 4 friends were invited to a party. Each of them brought 2 of their classmates. Each of their classmates
brought one of their siblings. How many then attended the party?

There are two types of non-routine problem solving situations, static and active. Static non-routine problems have a
fixed known goal and fixed known elements which are used to resolve the problem. Solving a jigsaw puzzle is an example of a
static non-routine problem. Active non-routine problem solving may have a fixed goal with changing elements; a changing goal or
alternative goals with fixed elements; or changing or alternative goals with changing elements.

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 Charles and Lester identified six potential types of problems which can be placed on a continuum of routine to creative
problems.

1. Exercise. These involve drill and practice to reinforce a previously learned skill or algorithm.

Examples:

a. 504 ÷ 7

b. in x +2=5 , what is value of x ?

2. Simple Translation Problems. These require the appropriate mathematical concept to be identified and the problem is translated
into a single number sentence.

Examples:

a. Eleanor has 20 oranges. She gave Marvin 11. How many oranges we left>

b. Felix has 11 tennis balls. Joseph has 4 or more tennis balls. How many tennis balls does Joseph have?

3. Complex Translation Problems. These provide the same experience as simple translation problem but involve more than one
translation and procedure.

Examples:

a. Nadine makes quilts. She can make 7 quilts with 21 yards of material. How many yards of material would be
required to make 12 quilts?

b. Susan buys 5 notebooks at P23 each and ream a bond of paper at P153. How much change did she get from P300?

4. Applications. These are problems that can be applied in real world which uses mathematical skills, facts concepts and procedure
in deriving solution to a problem.

Examples:

a. A water tank is 5 meters long and 3 meters wide. What is the capacity of the tank in liters if the height of the tank is
1 meter?

b. How many meters of steel wire is need to make a million paper clips?

5. Process Problems. These require the use of processes and strategies to think through and represent the problem. They require
learners to choose or develop a plan on how they can solve the problem.

Examples:

a. If you buy two pairs of pants, four shirts, and two pairs of shoes, how many new outfits consisting of a new pair of
pants, one shirt, and one pair of shoes would you have?

b. Fifteen people met for the first time and shake hands with each other. How many handshakes took place?

6. Puzzle Problems. These require people to think in unusual or original ways. They often have no apparent use of mathematical
concepts and procedures.

Examples:

a. You have three bags, each containing two marbles. Bag A contains two white marbles, Bag B contains two black
marbles, and Bag C contains one white marble and one black marble. You pick a random bag and take out one
marble. It is a white marble. What is the probability that the remaining marble from the same bag is also white?

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 b. Draw four straight line segments to pass through all 9 dots in a 3 by 3 array without lifting a pen.

Lesson Evaluation

Name ____________________________________________________ Score_________

Course _________________________________________________________________

1. How do we distinguish a well-defined problem from a poorly-defined one?

2. What changes happen to problems as they transform into routine to creative ones?

3. Classify the following as one-step translation, multi-step translation or puzzle problem?

a. About how many marbles would fit inside a basketball?

b. A classroom has 4 rows with 5 desks in each row. How many desks are there in all?

c. There are 10 boys and 12 girls going on a field trip. Each car will hold 5 children and 1 parent. How many cars are

needed?

d. What is the average of the first 15 positive integers?

e. You have a basket containing ten apples. You give each of your 10 friends one apple. Now all your friends have one

apple each. Yet there is an apple remaining in the basket. How is it possible?

4. Classify the following problem as routine or non-routine:

a. Find three numbers whose sum is 10 and whose product is as large as possible.

b. The Cruz family has 2 sons. Each son has 3 sisters. How many children are there?

c. A box contains 4 kg of paper clips. Each paper clip has a mass of about 0.8 g. About how many paper clips are in the

box?

d. Each puppet act takes 15 minutes. How long do 4 acts take?

e. A T-shirt costs P150. A pair of socks costs P85. Malachi bought 3 pairs of socks and 2 T-shirts. How much did he pay?

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5. Create a puzzle problem which involves an ordinary classroom situation

Lesson 4

APPROACHES TO PROBLEM SOLVING

Learning Outcome

At the end of the lesson, the learners can differentiate the approaches used in employing problem solving in teaching
mathematics.

Lesson Starter

Differentiate the three situations which correspond to approaches in problem solving.

Approach 1

The teacher is having a lesson on areas of rectangles. After giving a motivation activity, the teacher gives several
examples of how to get areas of rectangles, After the learning activities, the teacher gave word problems or word situations where
the skill in getting areas of rectangles were applied.

Approach 2

The teacher is having a lesson on areas of rectangles. At the start of the lesson proper before his activity, he showed an
illustration of a person having a dilemma on what will be the biggest piece of his backyard that will be fenced out of his 30 m
fencing material. After soliciting ideas on the problem situation, the teacher proceeded with teaching about the concept of area.

Approach 3

The teacher gave a problem situation on areas of rectangles. The students were asked to solve the problem in as many
ways as they can, the teacher trying to figure out the students who can solve the problem using the best strategy.

Lesson Inputs

Instruction in problem solving can be undertaken using three approaches.

1. Teaching for problem solving

In teaching for problem solving, the focus is on the acquisition of concepts and skills useful for problem solving.
Consequently, pupils are given instruction on mathematical concepts and structures and opportunities to apply them in
solving problems. In student’s ability to apply what they have learned in problem context.

Mathematical concepts include numerical, algebraic, geometrical, statistical, probabilistic and analytical while
mathematical skills include numerical calculation, algebraic manipulation, spatial visualization, data analysis,
measurement, use of mathematical tools, and estimation.

2. Teaching through problem solving, the teacher emphasizes the value of problem solving as a means of learning
mathematics. This complements the aspects of teaching for and about problem solving. Problems are valued not only
as a goal but also a primary means of learning mathematics. In teaching through problem solving, the teacher presents
a mathematical concept or skill through the following steps:

a. presentation of a word problem

b. analysis of the word problem

c. introduction of the mathematical concept/skill to solve the problem

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 d. discuss how the mathematical concept/skill introduced could solve the problem

e. give enough exercises to understand the concept or master the skill

f. give problems requiring application of the concept or skills developed

3. Teaching about problem solving

In teaching about problem solving the focus is on the learning strategies and processes of problem solving. The teacher
who teaches about problem solving also teaches the heuristics or strategies which students can use in solving
problems.

Lesson Evaluation

Name ____________________________________________________ Score______

Course_______________________________________________________________

1. Go back to the lesson activity. Identify which of the approaches was used in every situation.

2 Which approach do you think should be used in teaching mathematics?

3. Recall your mathematics classes in elementary and high school. What approach was used by your mathematics teachers?
Reflect.

4. At present, you are already a mathematics teacher. What approach would you use in teaching problem solving? Justify.

5. Choose a math problem. Discuss the problem using the three approaches.

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 Lesson 5

CATEGORIES OF PROBLEM POSING

Learning Outcome

At the end of the lesson, the learners can create problems of various difficulty.

Lesson Starter

Change the original problem below in different ways such that the word problem will have varying levels of difficulty.

Andres received P67 for his Auntie Myrla and P28 from his Auntie Rhoda. How much money did he receive?

Lesson Inputs

Stoyanova identified three categories of problem posing experiences that can increase students’ awareness of different
situations to generate and solve mathematical problems.

a. Free situations. These refer to situations where students pose problems without any restriction. Some examples of
the free problem posing situations are the tasks where students are encouraged to write problems for friends to solve or write
problems for mathematical Olympiads.

b. Semi-structured situations. These refer to situations where students are asked to write problems, which are similar to
given problems or to write problems based on specific pictures and diagrams.

c. Structured situations. These refer to situations where students pose problems by reformulation already solved
problems or by varying the conditions or questions of given problems.

Silver, on the other hand, classified problem posing according to where problem posing takes place:

a. Pre-solution. This is a situation prior to problem solving when problems are being generated from particular
presented stimulus such as a story, a picture, a diagram, a representation, etc.

b. Within-solution. This is a situation during problem solving when students intentionally change the goals and
conditions of problems.

c. Post-solution. This is a situation after solving a problem when experiences form the problem solving context are
applied to new situations.

The hardest thing about solving word problems is translating English phrases or sentences to mathematical symbols.
Usually, once you transformed it into math equation, you are fine. The actual math involved is often fairly simple. But figuring
out the actual equations is sometimes difficult. Word problem may come in a simple or complex form. This difficulty could be
changed depending on the different levels or abilities of the learners.

The following are some methods by which a variety of word problems can be constructed at different levels for
different abilities of students.

Example: Vicky had P437. She spent P176 on a diskette. How much money does she have left?

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 Way of increasing difficulty of word problems Sample problem

 Increase size of number Vicky had P9500.00 She spent P6799.00

on a tv set.
How much money does she have left?

 Use decimal and fraction numbers Vicky had P437.60. She spent P176.85 on
a diskette. How much money does she have
left?

 Change context of problem to Vicky was engaged in stock exchange. At

unfamiliar environments SMC, she had a profit of P437.00 while at
Benpress, she lost P176.00. What was her
total profit?

 Change language and meaning The VHS tape costs P437.00 This was
P176.00 more than the diskette. How much
did the diskette cost?

 Change conditions Vicky had P437.00. She bought a diskette,

she had P176.00 left. How much did the
diskette cost?

 Give numbers in different order to Vicky spent P176.00 on a diskette, Before

how they are implemented the purchase, she had P43700. How much
money does she have now?

 Increase the number of steps Vicky had P437.00. She spent P176.00 on
a diskette and P27.00 on a ribbon. How
much money does she have left?

 Involve more than one operation Vicky had P437.00. She bought 6 pieces of
ribbons each costing P27.00. How much
money does she have left?

 Give too much information Vicky had P437.00. The diskette was
P176.00 and the cassette tapes was
P144.00. She bought the diskette. How
much money does she have left?

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  Do not give enough information Vicky had P437.00. She bought a diskette.
How much money does she have left?

 Change some combination of the Vicky was engaged in stock market. She
above lost P17.00 on each of 5 Benpress shares.
She lost P86.00 on an SMC share. She
made a profit on a Shell’s share. Overall,
she made a profit of P151.00 on the 7
shares. What was the profit she made on
the Shell’s share?
 Absurd problem Vicky had P437.00. The laser diskette costs
P678.00. How much money does she have
left?

Lesson Evaluation

Name ____________________________________________________ Score______

Course_______________________________________________________________

1. Why do you think word problems are difficult to answer?

2. What are the ways of increasing the difficulty of a word problem?

3.Construct different problems with varying difficulty using the ways presented in this lesson for the
problem:
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Andres received an income of P10,000.00. He went to the grocery to buy goods worth P2,500.00. How
much money was left after he left the grocery?

Lesson 6

THE PROBLEM SOLVING CYCLE

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the lesson, the learners can

 discuss each step of the problem solving cycle

 discuss the problem solving cycle in the light of the work of George Polya

Lesson Starter

List down the steps that you undertake when you are given a word problem.

Lesson Inputs

In order to correctly solve a problem, it is important to follow a series of steps. This is referred to
as a problem-solving cycle. While this cycle is portrayed sequentially, people rarely follow a rigid series of
steps to find a solution. People often skip steps or even go back through steps multiple times until the
desired solution is reached. Sternberg identified the following steps in the problem solving cycle:

Figure 1. The Problem Solving Cycle

1.Problem
7.Evaluating identification 2.Definition of
problem solving problem

3.Constructing a
6.Monitoring
strategy for problem
problem solving solving

1.Problem Identification. Assessing

5.Allocation of whether there is a problem that needs solving. Identifying
4.Organizing
information about a
resources
the problem is not always as simple as it sounds. In some cases, people might mistakenly identify
problem

the wrong source of a problem, which will make attempts to solve it inefficient or even useless.

2. Defining of Problem. It is important to fully define the details of the problem and represent the problem
well enough to understand how to solve it.

3. Constructing a Strategy for Problem Solving. Develop a strategy to solve the problem. The approach used
will vary depending upon the situation and the unique preferences of the individual. Planning a strategy for
solving a problem involves:

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  Analysis – breaking down the whole of a complex problem into manageable elements

 Synthesis – putting together various elements to arrange them into something useful

 Divergent thinking – trying to generate a diverse assortment of possible alternative solutions to a

problem

 Convergent thinking – narrowing down the multiple possibilities to converge on a single, best
answer

4. Organizing Information about the Problem. Before coming up with a solution, organize first the available
information. What do we know about the problem? What do we not know? The more information available,
the better in coming up with an accurate solution.

5. Allocation of Resources. It is important to decide which parts of the problem require the greatest
allocation of resources.

6. Monitoring Progress. Checking problems towards problem solution should be considered. Effective
problem-solvers tend to monitor their progress as they work towards a solution. If they are not making good
progress toward reaching their goal, they will reevaluate their approach or look for new strategies.

7 Evaluating the Results. After a solution has been reached, it is important to evaluate the results to
determine if it is the best possible solution to the problem. This evaluation might be immediate, such as
checking the results of a math problem to ensure the answer is correct.

As part of his work on problem solving, George Polya developed a four-step problem solving process. The
four steps and their descriptions are listed in the next page.

Step 1.  Find, specify and clearly define the

UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM unknowns, data and conditions
 Find out if it is possible to satisfy
the condition
 Is the condition sufficient to
determine the unknown? Or is it
sufficient? Or redundant?
 Separate the various parts of the
condition. Can you write them
down?
Step 2.  Find the connection between the
DEVISE A PLAN data and the unknown.
 Decide if you have seen it before in
slightly different form. Or have you
seen the same problem in different
situations/ conditions? Do you
know a related problem? Do you
know a theorem that could be
useful?
 Try to use the information, solution
ideas, results and methods that were
used on the related/ similar problem

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 you found in the previous steps.
 Try to restate the problem if that
doesn’t work. Could you restate it
still differently? Go back to
definitions.
Step 3.  Did you use all the data?
CARRY OUT THE PLAN  Did you use the whole condition?
 Have you taken account all
essential notions involved in the
problem?
Step 4.  Check each step. Can you see
LOOK BACK clearly that the step is correct? Can
you prove that it is correct?
 Examine the solution obtained.
Does it answer the problem?

The four steps outlined above can be summarized into four verbs:

1. See

2. Plan

3. Do

4. Check

Example:

Christine purchased P1,500 books using her P30/h earnings as an encoder. While she was saving, her uncle
gave her P450. How many hours did Christine work to earn the total?

Solution:

 SEE Given: P1,500 books; P30/h earnings; P450

given by her uncle

Find: Number of hours Christine need to

work to complete the amount
 PLAN ? X 30 + 450 = 1500
No. of Hourly Given Total
Hours wage by
uncle
The illustration above shows the steps and
operations leading to the answer of P1,500.
To solve, work backward from P1,500.

 DO Start with the total P1,500

Subtract the contribution -450
P1,050

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 Divide by the hourly wage
1050 ÷ 30=35
Christine worked for 35 hours.
 CHECK (35x P30) + 450 = P1,500

Lesson Evaluation

Name ____________________________________________________ Score______

Course_______________________________________________________________

1. What are the four steps in solving problems by George Polya? Explain each.

2. Identify what step in Polya’s problem solving process will you do in the following activities:

a. Performing the necessary actions or computations

b. Checking your solution and procedure

c. Modelling the problem

d. Interpreting and understanding what is required

e. Reflecting on what you had done

f. Identifying and defining the problem.

g. Determining a strategy

h. Designing a way to tackle the problem

i. Implementing the action plan

j. Determining the reasonableness of the answer

3. Solve the following problems using Polya’s four steps:

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a. Find three numbers whose sum is 10 and whose product is as large as possible.

b. How many cuts does it take to divide a log into five cross-sectional pieces?

c. Adela and Jessidel sold 12 show tickets altogether. Adela sold 2 more tickets than Jessidel. How many
tickets did each girl sell?

d. Mrs. Guzman is 32 years old and her daughter Macailah is eight years old. How old will Macailah be
when she is half as old as her mother?

e. There are two two-digit numbers that satisfy the following conditions: each number has the same digits,
the sum of the digits in each number is 10, and the difference between the two numbers is 54. What are the
two numbers?

Lesson 7

STRATEGY: GUESS AND CHECK

Learning Outcome

At the end of the lesson, the learners can solve problems by using the guess and check strategy.

Lesson Starter

Answer the problem below using the four steps of George Polya.

Carmela opened her piggy bank and she found she had P135. If she had only 10 centavo, 25
centavo, P1, P5 and P10, how many coins of each kind did she have?

Lesson Inputs

Guess and check gives students opportunities to engage in some trial-and-error approaches to
problem-solving. It should be understood, however, that this is not a singular approach to problem-solving
but rather an attempt to gather some preliminary data. This is also called guesstimate, trial-error or grope-
and-hope.

Guess and check may be appropriate when:

 There are limited numbers of possible answers for testing.

 You want to gain a better understanding of the problem.
 You can systematically try possible answers.
 There is no other obvious strategy to try.

Let us solve the problem in the Lesson Starter using the 4-step Polya process.

Understand We are not specifically given the number

of coins for each denomination. As long as
the sum is P135, we can have the option.

Plan The strategy is to guess and check whether

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 our guess is correct.
Do We can assign our guess for the number of
coins.
10 centavo - 50 coins
25 centavos – 40 coins
P1 – 30 coins
P5 – 20 coins
P10 – 4 coins
Multiplying each denomination with the
number of coins and adding them, we
found out we have a total of P185. We have
missed the target of P135. So, we assign
again guesses for the number of coins for
each denomination until we arrive at the
correct total.
Check As long as the sum of the coins is P135 and
all coins are represented, then the guess is
considered as correct.

Let us have another example.

The sum of the ages of a father and his son is 100. The father is 28 years older than the son. How old
are they?

Understand The sum of the ages is 100

The father is 28 years older than the son

Plan The strategy is to guess and check if our

guess is correct.

Do We can assign our guess for the numbers

Guess 1: Try 60 and 40
60 – 40 = 20
Since we want a difference of 28, the
numbers should be further apart.
Guess 2: Try 65 and 35.
64 – 35 = 30
The difference is too big, so they should be
a little closer.
Guess 3: Try 64 and 36
64 – 36 = 28
Therefore, the father is 64 years old and the
son is 36 years old.
Check 64 + 36 = 100
64 – 36 = 28

Lesson Evaluation

Name ____________________________________________________ Score______

19
Course_______________________________________________________________

Solve the following problems using guess and check.

1. Find the least prime number greater than 720.

2. What row in the table below contains the square of an integer and the cube if a different integer?

A 123 126 164 270 381

B 52 64 75 81 92
C 120 130 155 166 196
D 320 450 566 678 999

3. A kindergarten class is going to a play with some teachers. Tickets cost 5 pesos for children and 12 pesos
for adults. The number of tickets sold amounted to 163 pesos. How many children and teachers went to the
play?

4. Arrange the numbers 1-6 in a triangular form such that the sum of each side is equal to 11.

20
5. In a farm, there are some pigs and chickens. If there are 87 animals and 226 legs, how many pigs are there
in the farmyard?

Lesson 8

STRATEGY: LIST THE POSSIBILITIES

Learning Outcome

At the end of the lesson, the learners can solve problems by making lists.

Lesson Starter

Answer the problem below using the four steps of George Polya.

The telephone area codes in a certain country are three digit numbers. The first digit cannot be 0 or
1. The second digit can only be 0 or 1. The third digit is not 0. How many different area codes can start with
digit 3?

Lesson Inputs

Recording information in list form is a process used quite frequently to map out a plan of attack for
defining and solving problems. Encourage students to record their ideas in lists to determine regularities,
patters, or similarities between problem elements.

Making a list is appropriate when:

 Listing the possible answers can help solve the problem.

 Listing the given information can help identify a pattern or similarities.

21
 Let us solve the problem in the Lesson Starter using the 4-step Polya process.

Given the conditions, the first digit can be

2, 3, 4, 5 ,6 ,7 ,8 and 9; the second digit can
Understand only be 0 and 1, while the last digit is 1, 2,
3, 4 ,5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.

The strategy is to list the possible three-

digit area codes.
Plan

Assuming that the first digit is 3, list all

possible area codes with a second digit is 0.
Do 301 302 303 304 305 306
307 308 309
List all possible codes with 1 as a second
digit.
311 312 313 314 315 316
317 318 319
There are 18 possible codes that begin with
the digit 3.
Check if all answers satisfy the conditions
in the problem.
Check

Let us have another example.

A student is taking a true-or-false test. In how many ways can the three questions be answered?

Given the conditions, the three questions

can be answered by True or False.
Understand

The strategy is to list the possible three-

Plan digit area codes.

T-T-T T-F-T T-T-F T-F-F

Do
F-F-F F-F-T F-T-T F-T-F
So, there are 8 ways that the three
questions can be answered.

22
 Check if all answers satisfy the conditions
Check in the problem.

Lesson Evaluation

Name ____________________________________________________ Score______

Course_______________________________________________________________

Solve the following problems by listing possibilities.

1. Your Problem Solving quiz consists of five true-or-false questions. How many different patterns of
answers are possible?

2. Leroy forgot the PIN number for his ATM card. He remembered that he had rearranged the digits from
his house number to program the 4-digit code. If his house number is 1256, what codes should he try in the
automatic teller machine?

3. From the word “HABIT”, determine how many letter arrangements can be formed if all vowels and
consonants are together?

23
4. There are five flavors of ice cream. How many different combinations of cones can be made if each
column has two different scoops?

5. How many three-digit even numbers can be formed with the digits, 2, 4, 5, 3 and 7 with no repetition
allowed?

Lesson 9

STRATEGY: LOOK FOR A PATTERN

Learning Outcome

At the end of the lesson, the learners can solve problems by identifying a pattern.

Lesson Starter

Answer the problem below using the four steps of George Polya.

What is the next number in this list? 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, _.

Lesson Inputs

A problem can be solved by looking into the relationship of the elements of a list and identifying
the pattern.

Looking for patterns is an important problem-solving strategy because many problems are similar
and fall into predictable patterns. A pattern, by definition, is a regular, systematic repetition and may be
numerical, visual, or behavioral.
24
Look for a pattern that may be appropriate when:

 A list of data is given.

 A sequence of number is involved.
 You are asked to make a prediction or generalization.
 Information can be expressed and viewed in an organized manner, such as a table.

Let us solve the problem in the Lesson Starter using the 4-step Polya process.

Given the conditions, the numbers are

increasing. We are looking for a number
Understand which is greater than 32.

Plan The strategy is to identify the pattern.

We can look for an operation which relates

Do each number with the next.
The next number is the previous number
multiplied by 2.
1 x 2 = 2 x 2 = 4 x 2= 8 x 2= 16 x 2 = 32
So, 32 will be multiplied by 2, yielding 64.
Another way of interpreting this is to
convert the numbers into another
expression.
0 1 2 3
1=2 2=2 5=2 8=2
4 5
16=2 32=2
Hence, the next number should be 26 or 64.

Check if the answers satisfy the conditions

Check in the problem.

Let us have another example.

Mae has written a number pattern that begins with 1, 3 ,6, 10, 15, …, if she continuous this pattern,
what are the next four numbers in her pattern?

Given the conditions, the numbers are

increasing. We are looking for a number
Understand which is greater than 15.

Plan The strategy is to identify the pattern.

Look at the numbers in the pattern.

25
 Do 3 = 1 + 2 (starting number is 1, add 2 to
make 3)
6 = 3 + 3 (starting number is 3, add 3 to
make 6)
10 = 6 + 4 (starting number is 6, add 4 to
make 10)
15 = 10 + 5 (starting number is 10, add 5 to
make 15)
New numbers will be:
15 + 6 = 21
21 + 7 = 28
28 + 8 = 36
36 + 9 = 45

Check if the answers satisfy the conditions

Check in the problem.

Lesson Evaluation

Name ____________________________________________________ Score______

Course_______________________________________________________________

Solve the following problems by looking into the pattern.

1. Find the next number in 6, 10, 15, 21, 28, _____

2. A three-sided polygon has no diagonal. A four-sided polygon has two diagonals. A five-sided polygon has
five diagonals. A six-sided polygon has nine diagonals. How many diagonals are there in a seven-sided
polygon?

26
3. What is the sum of numbers in 10th row of the following pattern?

3 5

7 9 11

13 15 17 19

21 23 25 27 29

31 33 35 37 39 41

4. Each triangle in the figure below has 3 dots. Study the pattern and find the number of dots for 7 layers of
triangles.

1 layer 2 layers 3 layers 4 layers

3 dots 6 dots 10 dots 15 dots

5. How many fence sections are required to enclose 4 square yards side by side?

Lesson 10

STRATEGY: SOLVE A SIMPLER PROBLEM

Learning Outcome

At the end of the lesson the learners can solve problems by solving a similar problem which is
more simple.

Lesson Starter

27
 Answer the problem below using the four steps of George Polya.

Narcisa bought her refrigerator for P12,575. This was P3,800 more than Edita paid for her
refrigerator. How much did Edita pay?

Lesson Inputs

Some solutions are difficult because the problem contains large numbers or complicated patterns.
Sometimes, a simple representation will show a pattern which can help solve a problem. Breaking problems
down into simpler cases can help to solve the problems. Set aside the original problem and work through a
simpler related problem. Replace larger numbers with smaller numbers to make calculations easier, and then
apply same method of solving it to the original problem. Look for a pattern that may be emerging.

Simplifying the problem is appropriate when:

 Complex problems can be simplified.

 Problems are related to another familiar problem.
 If a problem is confusing, the numbers can be used to help make a plan to solve it.
 When a problem is too complex to solve in one step.

Let us solve the problem in the Lesson Starter using the 4-step process.

Given the conditions, what Narcisa paid

was higher than what Edita paid for the
Understand refrigerator We are looking for a smaller
answer than P12,575.

Plan The strategy is to think of a simpler.

problem. We can replace the numbers with
smaller units
We can assume that Narcisa bought her
Do refrigerator at P5. This is P2 more than
Edita paid for her refrigerator. How much
did Edita pay? The answer is P5- P2 = P3.
Therefore, returning to the original
problem, the answer can be found by

P12,575 – P3,800 = P8,775

Edita bought the refrigerator at only

P8,775.

If Edita paid P8,775 for the refrigerator,

P3,800 more than the P8,775 is P8,775 +
Check P3,800 = P12,575.

Let us have another example.

28
 A soccer team won 24 of 36 games in the first season. If the team had the same ratio of wins to
games in the second season, and they won 16 games, how many games did they play in the second
season?

Given the conditions, what we are looking

is the ratio equal to 24:36 where one of the
Understand given numbers is 16.

Plan The strategy is to think of a simpler.

problem. We can replace the given ratio
with smaller units.

Do The answer can be found by simplifying

the ratio of 24:36 to 2:3, and then cross-
multiplying to find the total number of
games in the second season.
2x = 48
x = 24
So, 24 is the total number of games in the
second season.
By applying the proportionality theorem,
24:36 is equal to 16:24 which is also equal
Check to 2:3.

Lesson Evaluation
29
Name ____________________________________________________ Score______

Course_______________________________________________________________

Solve the following problems by having a simpler problem.

1. What is the sum of the whole numbers from 1 to 3000?

2. A team is eliminated from the All-Barangay Basketball Tournament if they lose one game. If there are 30
teams playing in the tournament, how many games have to be played to determine a champion?

3. On your way to visit a friend, you leave your house at 2:45 P.M. and travel 1 ¾ miles to the train, and ¾
mile to your friend’s house form the train station. If you get there at 4:15 P.M., how many miles per hour did
you travel?

4. A new movie theater sells 6,783 tickets in the first year, 5,697 tickets in the second year, and in its third
year, sells 634 fewer tickets than in its second year. How many tickets are sold in 3 years?

5. Ron and Bob went up the hill to pick apples and pears. Ron picked 10 apples, 15 pears and Bob picked 20
apples and some pears. The ratio of apples to pears picked by both Ron and Bob were the same. Determine
how many pears Bob picked

Lesson 11

STRATEGY: USE LOGICAL REASONING

30
Learning Outcome

At the end of the lesson the learners can solve problems by using logical reasoning.

Lesson Starter

Answer the problem below using the four steps of George Polya.

Fred, Ted, and Ed are taking Mary, Carry and Teri to the JS Promenade. Use these clues to find out
which couple will attend the JS Promenade.

1. Mary is Ed’s sister and lives in Kalayaan Street.

2. Ted drives a car to school each day.

3. Ed is taller than Teri’s date.

4. Carry and her date ride their bicycles to school every day.

5. Fred’s date lives on Kasipagan Street.

Lesson Inputs

Logical reasoning questions are designed to measure the ability to draw logical conclusions based
on statements or arguments, and to identify the strengths and weaknesses of those arguments. It evaluates
the ability to analyze, critically evaluate, and complete arguments as they occur in ordinary language. The
questions are designed to assess a wide range of skills involved in thinking critically, with an emphasis on
skills that are central to legal reasoning. Logic puzzles are good examples of non-routine problems that can
be solved by logical reasoning.

Logical reasoning may be appropriate when:

 Problems presented can be solved using analysis and reasoning.

 There is a need to draw a conclusion
 There is a little or no computation required.

When you use logical reasoning, you can create a matrix logic that helps you organize all the
information in the problem. By using the matrix, you can eliminate the possibility after another until you
eventually arrive at a solution.

Let us solve the problem in the Lesson Starter using the 4-step Polya process.

Conditions are already given in the

Understand problem.

Plan The strategy is to use logical reasoning. We

should create matrix logic.
Do Let us create a table like the one below. We
can use an X to mark a square that is not a
valid conclusion and √ to mark a square
which is a valid conclusion.

31
 Look at the first clue. Since Mary is Ed’s
sister, she’s not his date. Out an X in
Mary’s column beside Ed’s name. Look at
the third clue. Since Ed is taller than Teri’s
date, he is not Teri’s date. Put an X in
Teri’s column next to Ed’s name. We can
now deduce that Carri is Ed’s date. We can
also evaluate the other boys as Carri’s date.
Put X’s in the column for their names.

Look at the fifth clue. Since Fred’s date

lives on Kasipagan Street, Mary could not
be Fred’s date since Mary lives in
Kalayaan Street. Put an X mark on Mary’s
column beside Fred’s name. Therefore,
Mary is Ted’s date. What is left is the
column for Teri next to Fred’s name. SO,
Fred is Teri’s date.

Mary Carri Teri

Fred X X √
Ted √ X X
Ed X √ X

We can go back to the clues to determine

Check the correctness of our answers made
through logical reasoning.

Let us have another example.

A bridge will collapse in 17 minutes. Four people want to cross it before it will collapse. It is dark
night and there is only one torch between them. Only two people can cross at a time. Gabe takes a
mute to cross. Gail Takes 2 minutes. Gabrielle takes 5 minutes and Grant takes 10 minutes. How do
they all cross before the bridge will collapse?

Understand Conditions are already given in the

problem.
Plan The strategy is to use logical reasoning.
Do Gabe and Gail cross first using up 2
minutes. Gabe comes back making it 3.
Gabrielle and Grant cross making it 13
minutes. Then Gail crosses back over
making it 15 minutes. And finally, Gabe
and Gail cross together to make it 17
minutes.
Check Sum up the total minutes used
2 + 1 + 10 + 2 + 2 = 17

32
 Lesson Evaluation

Name ____________________________ Score______

Course____________________________

Use logical reasoning to solve the following problems.

1. Four married couples belong to a bridge club. The wives’ names are Kitty, Sarah, Josie and Anne. Their
husband’s names (not in order) are David, Will, George and Fred. Will is Josie’s brother. Josie and Fred
dated for several times, but then Fred met his present wife. Kitty is married to George. Anne has two
brothers. Anne’s husband is an only child. Determine who is married to whom.

2. Ray, Carol and Dana are neighbors. Their hobbies are sculpturing, fixing cars and gardening. Their
occupations are doctor, teacher, and lawyer. The gardener and the teacher both graduated from the same
college. Both the lawyer and Ray have puppies, as does the sculptor. The doctor bandaged the sculptor’s
broken thumb. Carol and the lawyer have lived next door to each other for five years. Dana beat both Carol
and the gardener in tennis. Find each person’s hobby and occupation.

3. Walking through the harbor, you see a fisherman and a hunter. They both say the truth except for the days
when they always lie: The fisherman lies on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The hunter lies on
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Today they say that they both were lying yesterday. What day is today?

4. A farmer wants to cross a river and take with him a wolf, a got, and a cabbage. There is a boat that can fit
himself plus either the wolf, the goat, or the cabbage. If the wolf and the goat are alone on one shore, the
wolf will eat the goat. If the goat and the cabbage are alone on the shore, the goat will eat the cabbage. How
can the farmer bring the wolf, the goat, and the cabbage across the river?

5. You find a very strange book. It has 1000 pages. The first page says: 1 page is lying. The second page
says 2 pages are lying…. The 1000th page says 1000 pages are lying. Only one page says the truth. Which
one?

Lesson 15

STRATEGY: USE MODELS

Learning Outcome

At the end of the lesson, the learners can solve problems by using models.

Lesson Starter

Answer the problem below using the four steps of George Polya.

Suppose an ice cream store has 4 flavors of ice cream (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mint), 3
sauces (hot fudge, butterscotch, pineapple), and 3 additional toppings (whip cream, nuts, sprinkles). You are

33
assigned the task of making every kind of sundae possible. Each sundae must have 2 scoops of 1 flavor of
ice cream, 1 sauce, and 1 additional topping. How many different sundaes would you make?

Lesson Inputs

Let us solve the problem in the Lesson Starter using the 4-step Polya process.

We are looking for the possible pairings of

Understand the flavor, sauce and topping of the sundae

Plan The strategy is to use models. We can use

cutouts of circles to represent the ice
cream, squares to represent the sauce t]and
triangles to represent the toppings. Use the
initials of the items to label each figure.

Do Use the items to physically build each

sundae. Record each different type you
create.

When all possibilities are exhausted, count

your results. You should have 36 different
sundaes.

We could now start with P3000. Two-

Check thirds of the amount, which is P2000 was
spent at the supermarket. She was left with
P1000. Three-fourths of the amount, P750,
was spent in the department store. She was
left with P250.
Let us have another example.

Mrs. Lim made some cupcakes, She sold4/5 of them in the morning and ½ of the remainder in the
afternoon. If she sold 210 more cupcakes in the morning than in the afternoon, how many cupcakes did she
make?

We are looking for the number of cupcakes

Understand produced by Mrs. Lim before selling the
cupcakes.

Plan The strategy is to use models. Particularly

cars.

Do Draw a bar to represent all the cupcakes.

Cut the bar into 5 equal parts. Shade 4 parts
to represent the cupcakes sold in the
morning.

34
 Morning
Cut the unshaded part into 2 equal parts.
Shade 1 of them to show the cupcakes sold
in the afternoon.

afternoon
Cut the light brown boxes in half to make
all the boxes in the same size.

There are 7 more morning boxes than

afternoon boxes. We can use the unitary
method to find the value of 1 box.
1 units = 210 tarts
1 unit = 210 / 7 = 30 cupcakes “Unitary”
method
There are 10 boxes in all, so 10 x 30 – 300.
Therefore, she made 300 cupcakes.

4/5 of 300 = 240 (total number of cupcakes

Check sold in the morning)
1/5 of 300 = 60 (total number of the
remaining cupcakes)
½ of 60 = 30 (total number of cupcakes
sold in the afternoon)
240 is greater than 30 by 210.
So, 240 + 60 = 300 (total number of
cupcakes made)
Lesson Evaluation

Name __________________________ Score _______________

Course_________________________

Solve the following problems by using models.

1. Determine the maximum and minimum perimeter of a figure made up of 12 square tiles.

2. Jam spent 2/5 of his money on a storybook. The storybook cost Php 200. How much money did he have at
first?

3. Kim buys 24 roses. 2/3 of them are white. How many white roses are there?

4. Peter had 15 more marbles than Andrew and 10 more than Ben. They have 86 marbles altogether. How
many marbles does Ben have?

5. Mom is 28 years older than Zack. Mom is 4 years younger than Dad. Their total age is 90 years. What is
Mom’s age?
35
 Lesson 16

STRATEGY: USING AN EQUATION OR FORMULA

Learning outcome

At the end of the lesson, the learners can solve problems by writing an equation or a formula.

Lesson Starter

Answer the problem below using the four steps of George Polya.

Scientists use facts about how parts of the body relate to each other to study the human body. For
example, it is a fact that the length of a woman’s radius bone is about 1/7 of her height. The radius bone
connects the elbow and the wrist. If a scientist knows that the radius bone of a woman is 9 inches long, then
about how tall is the woman?

Lesson inputs

Most word problems can be solved using formula or equation. Students can sometimes make sense
of a problem by changing the written problem to a number sentence.

Using an equation or formula may be appropriate when

 Information can be translated to mathematical sentences.

 The problem can be solved by using a formula.

Let us solve the problem in the Lesson Starter using 4-step Polya process.

We are looking for the approximate height

Understand of the woman.

Plan The strategy is to write an equation.

Representation should be done with
variables.

Do Write first a word equation. The word

implies that the length of the radius bone
equals 1/7 of the woman’s height. The
phrase “1/7 of her height” means “1/7
times her height”, thus
Length of radius bone = 1/7 x height
Letting h represent the height of the woman
whose radius bone measures 9 inches.
9 = 1/7h

Solving the equation,

(1/7h)7 = (9)7
h = 63 inches

36
 The woman is approximately 63 in or 5 ft.
3 inches tall.

Is the length of the radius bone (9 in) equal

Check to 1/7 of the woman’s height (63 in)?

9 = 1/7 h
9 = 1/7 (63)
9=9
Is 63 a reasonable height for a woman?
Let us have another example.

One number is 10 more than another. The sum of twice the smaller plus three times the larger is
55. What are the two numbers?

We are looking for the two numbers where

Understand one number is greater than the other and
the sum of twice the smaller added to three
times the larger is equal to 55.
Plan The strategy is to write an equation.

Do Let x be the smaller number

x + 10 be the larger number
2x + 3 (x + 10) = 55
2x + 3x + 30 = 55
5x = 55 – 30
5x = 25
x = 5 → smaller number

x + 10
5 + 10
15 → larger number
So, the numbers are 5 and 15

First condition: 15 – 5 = 10
Check Second condition: 2(5) + 3(15) = 55

Lesson Evaluation

Name __________________________ Score______

Course__________________________

Solve the problems by writing an equation.

37
1. Mary saves 1/5 of her pay each week so she can purchase a bicycle. This week, she saved P165. How
much did she earn?

2. The perimeter of a rectangle is 54cm. The width is 12 cm. What is the length?

3. Georgina is 4 times as old as Francheska. Three years ago, Georgina was 7 times as old as Francheska.
Find their present ages.

4. The length of a rectangle is 4 times greater than its width. If the length is increased by 2 and the width is
increased by 3, the area is increased by 58 square units. What is the original dimension of the rectangle?

5. Ken is thinking of a number. If you add 5 to it, multiply the sum by 4, and subtract 15, the result is 21.
What is the number?

38