Problem Solving

Lesson #3 MMW
3. Problem Solving
3.1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
3.2. Problem Solving with Patterns
3.3. Problem-Solving Strategies

Use different types of reasoning to justify statements and

arguments made about mathematics and mathematical concepts
(K)
Write clear and logical proofs (K)
Solve problems involving patterns and recreational problems
following Polya’s four steps (S)
 Organize one’s methods and approaches for proving and
solving problems (V)
Try this out!
Pick a number.
Multiply the number by 9.
Add 15 to the product.
Divide the sum by 3.
Subtract 5.

Usedifferent numbers.
What have you noticed?
Inductive reasoning
It is the process of reaching a general
conclusion by examining specific
examples.

When you examine a list of numbers and

predict the next number in the list
according to some pattern you have
observed, you are using inductive
reasoning.
The conclusion formed by using inductive
reasoning is called a conjecture.

A conjecture is an idea that may or may

not be correct.
Examples:
1. Use inductive reasoning to predict the
next number in each of the following
lists.
a. 5, 10, 15, 20, ?
b. 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ?
The Pendulum
 Scientistoften use inductive reasoning.
 Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) used inductive
reasoning to discover that the time required
for a pendulum to complete one swing.
 A length of 10 inches has been designated as 1 unit.

Length of pendulum, in units Period of pendulum, in

heartbeats
1 1
4 2
9 3
16 4
25 5
 Length of pendulum, in Period of pendulum, in
units heartbeats
1 1
4 2
9 3
16 4
25 5

Ifa pendulum has a length of 49 units,

what is its period?

Ifthe length of the pendulum is

quadrupled, what happens to its period?
The Tsunami
A tsunami is a sea wave produced by an
underwater earthquake. The height of a
tsunami as it approaches land depends on
its velocity.
Velocity of tsunami, in feet Height of tsunami, in feet
per second
6 4
9 9
12 16
15 25
18 36
21 49
 What happens to the
Velocity of Height of
height of a tsunami
tsunami, in feet tsunami, in feet when its velocity is
per second
6 4
doubled?
9 9
12 16
15 25
18 36 What should be the
21 49
height of tsunami if
its velocity is 30 ft
per second?
Deductive Reasoning
It is a process of reaching a conclusion by
applying general assumptions, procedures,
or principles.

From general to specific

Examples:
Use deductive reasoning to make a
conjecture.
Pick a number. Multiply the number by
10, add 8 to the product, divide the sum
by 2, and subtract 4.

10n +8-4
2
Solve a Logic Puzzle
 Each of the four friends Donna, Sarah, Nikki, and
Cris, has a different pet (fish, cat, dog, and
snake). From the following clues, determine the
pet of each individual.
 Sarah is older than her friend who owns the cat
and younger than her friend who owns the dog.
 Nikki and her friend who owns the snake are both
of the same age and are the youngest members of
their group.
 Donna is older than her friend who owns the fish.
Problem Solving with Patterns
Fibonacci Sequence
Jacques Binet in 1543 was able to find a
formula for the nth Fibonacci number.
 
Fn =

Find Fib (50).

The Pascal’s Triangle
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) introduced the
Pascal’s Triangle
 +

Find
Solve this problem.
An agency charged Php 15,000 for a 3-
day and 2-night tour in Macau and Php
20,000 for the same tour with a side trip
to Hong Kong. Ten persons joined the
trip, which enable them to collect Php
170,000. How many tourists made a side
trip to Hong Kong?
POLYA’S PROBLEM SOLVING
STRATEGY
George Polya (1887-1985)
◦ George Polya was a
Hungarian who immigrated to
the United States in 1940. His
major contribution is for his
work in problem solving.
Polya’s Four-Step Problem-Solving
Strategy

Understand the problem.

Devise a plan.
Carry-out a plan.
Review the solution.
Polya’s First Principle: Understand the
Problem

Do you understand all the words used in stating

the problem?
What are you asked to find or show?
Can you restate the problem in your own
words?
Can you think of a picture or a diagram that
might help you understand the problem?
Is there enough information to enable you to
find a solution?
Polya’s Second Principle: Devise a plan

Guess and check Look for a pattern

Make and orderly
Draw a picture
list
Solve a simpler
Eliminate
possibilities problem
Use a model
Use symmetry
Work backward
Consider special
Use a formula
cases
Use direct Be ingenious
reasoning
Polya’s third Principle: Carry out
the plan
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.
Polya’s Fourth Principle: Look
back
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 to other problems.
Examples:
1. If two ladders are placed end to end,
their combined height is 31.5 feet. One
ladder is 6.5 feet shorter than the other
ladder. What are the heights of the two
ladders?
Examples:
The number of ducks and pigs in a
field totals 35. The total number of the
legs among them is 98. Assuming each
duck as exactly two legs and each pig
has exactly four legs, determine how
many ducks and how many pigs are in
the field.
Seatwork: By pairs (3 points each)
A hat and a jacket together cost
$100. The jacket costs $90 more than
the hat. What are the cost of the hat
and the cost of the jacket?
The four children in the Rivera family are
Reynaldo, Ramiro, Shakira, and Sasha.
The ages of the two teenagers are 13 and
15. The ages of the younger children are 5
and 7. From the following clues,
determine the age of each of the children.

Reynaldo is older than Ramiro.

Sasha is younger than Shakira.
Sasha is 2 years older than Ramiro.
Shakira is older than Reynaldo.
On three examinations, Dana
received scores of 82, 91, and 76.
What score does Dana need on the
fourth examination to raise her
average to 85?
An airline flies from Manila to Davao
with a stopover in Cebu. It charges a fare
of Php 1,800 Manila to Cebu and a fare
Php 3,500 from Manila to Davao. In one
flight, a total of 180 passengers boarded
the plane in Manila and the collected fare
totalled Php 494,000. How many got off
the plane in Cebu?
HOMEWORK:
1. Determine whether the argument is an example
of deductive reasoning or inductive reasoning.

a. Samantha got an A on each of her four

math tests, so she will get an A on her
next math test.
b. All amoeba multiply by dividing. I have
named the amoeba shown in my
microscope, Amelia. Therefore, Amelia
multiplies by dividing.
c. We had rain each day for the last five
days, so it will rain today.
2. Erick is 25 years older than Edwin.
In 15 years, Erick will be as twice as
old as Edwin will be. What will their
ages be then?

3. The sum of two numbers is 89 and

their difference is 41. Find the number.
4. A tank can be filled by pipe A in 5 hours
and by pipe B in 8 hours. It can be emptied
by pipe C in 6 hours. How long will it take
the two pipes to fill the tank if the third pipe
is drawing water at the same time?

5. Engr. Cruz has invested Php 500,000.

Part of it was invested at 4% and the rest at
5%. The total annual income from the two
investments is Php 95,000. How much is
invested at each of these rates?