POLYA’S FOUR STEPS IN
PROBLEM SOLVING
STRATEGY
Leonard P. Reyes Jr.
Objectives
• Gain an understanding of the key concepts of problem and
problem solving.
• Discuss problem solving framework.
• Apply the Polya’s four steps of Problem Solving in solving
problems.
Problem Solving
Problem Solving is a process – an
ongoing activity in which we take what we
know to discover what we don’t know. It
involves overcoming obstacles by
generating hypotheses, testing predictions,
and arriving at satisfactory solutions.
Problem Solving
Problem Solving involves three basic functions
1. Seeking information
2. Generating new knowledge
3. Making Decision
History of Problem Solving
As ancient mathematicians such Euclid and Pappus where
interested in heuristics, the study of the methods and rules of
discovery and invention. In 17th century, Rene Descartes
contributed to the field of heuristics and tried to develop a
universal problem solving method. Though he failed, he
published some of his ideas in Rules for the Direction of the Mind
and Discourse de la Methode.
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz planned to write a book on
heuristics titled “Art of Invention.” He wrote that, “Nothing is
more important than to see the sources of invention which are, in
my opinion, more interesting than the inventions themselves.”
Understanding Polya’s Four Steps
Polya’s four steps are simple and easy
to understand. It helps problem solver to
solve problem with ease by examining each
of the 4 steps and find out what is/are
involved.
Understanding Polya’s Four Steps
George Polya (1887-1985) is one of the
foremost recent mathematicians to make a
study of problem solving. Born in Hungary
and moved to the United States in 1940. In
1945 he published his book entitled “How
to Solve It” where he outlined a strategy in
problem solving.
Problem-solving is the skill of finding a way out of a
difficulty, a way around an obstacle, attaining an
aim, which is not immediately attainable. (Polya,
1957)
He has had an important influence on problem
solving in mathematics education. He stated that
George Polya good problem solvers tend to forget the details and
The Father of Problem Solving tend to focus on the structure of the problem,
while poor problem solvers focus on the opposite.
He designed the following:
Polya’s Problem Solving Technique Consists of Four
Steps
Step 1. Understand the problem. (See)
Step 2. Devise a plan. (Plan)
Step 3. Carry out the plan. (Do)
Step 4. Look Back. (Check)
Step 1. Understand the problem. (See)
Read and understand the problem. Identify what is the given information, known data and
values and what is the unknown and to be solved as required by 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 if known would allow you to solve the problem?
• What is the goal?
Step 2. Devise a plan. (Plan)
Think of a way to solve the problem by setting up an
equation, drawing a diagram, and making a chart that
will help you find the unknown and the solution.
To start devising a plan, try doing the following:
1. Make a list of the known information.
2. Make a list of the information that is needed.
3. Draw a diagram.
4. Make an organized list that shows all the possibilities.
Step 2. Devise a plan. (Plan)
5. Make a table or a chart.
6. Work backwards.
7. Try to solve a similar but simpler problem.
8. Write an equation, as possible define what
each variable represents.
9. Perform an experiment.
10. Guess a solution and then check the result.
Step 3. Carry out the plan. (Do)
Solve the equation you have set up and observe
analytical rules and procedures until you arrive at the
answers.
1. Work carefully.
2. Keep an accurate and neat record of all your
attempts.
3. Realize that some of your initial plans will not work
and that you will have to devise another plan and
modify your existing plan.
Step 4. Look Back (Check)
In order to validate the obtained value, you need to
verify and check if the answer makes sense or is correct
based on the situation posed by the problem. Label your
final correct answer.
1. Ensure that the solution is consistent with the facts of
the problem.
2. Interpret the solution within the context of the problem.
3. Ask yourself whether there are generalizations of the
solution that you could apply to similar problems.
Example
A police station has 25 vehicles of motorcycles and cars. The
total number of wheels is 70. Find the number of
motorcycles and cars the station has.
Example
A police station has 25 vehicles of motorcycles and cars. The total
number of wheels is 70. Find the number of motorcycles and cars
the station has.
Solution:
Step 1. Understand the Problem. (See)
Given: 25 vehicles
70 wheels
Required: The number of cars and the number of motorcycles.
Step 2. Devise a Plan. (Plan)
Let
the number of cars
the number of motorcycles
vehicles
4 wheels + 2 wheels = 70 wheels
So, vehicles and wheels are the two equations formed based on the
problem.
Step 3. Carry Out the Plan. (Do)
(1) , solving two equations with two unknowns using the process of elimination:
(2) (1)
(3) (2)
since x denotes the number of cars so, there are 10 cars.
However, solving for y as the number of motorcycles is as follows:
Since then , finally , so there are 15 vehicles in the police station.
Step 4. Look Back. (Check)
Therefore, there are 10 cars with 4 wheels and 15 motorcycles with 2 wheels.
The total number of wheels is 70 wheels.
Example
Anne had a certain amount of money in her bank account on Friday morning. During the day she
wrote a check for Php24.50, made an ATM withdrawal of Php80, and deposited a check for Php235.
At the end of the day, she saw that her balance was Php451.25. How much money did she have in
the bank at the beginning of the day?
Step 1. Understand the Problem. (See)
Given: Php 24.50 check
ATM withdrawal Php 80
check deposit Php 235
At the end of the day she saw that her balance was Php451.25
Required: Money she had in the bank at the beginning of the day.
Step 2. Devise a Plan. (Plan)
Work backwards
Start with 451.25
Subtract 235
Add 80
Then add 24.50
Step 3. Carry Out the Plan. (Do)
So,
Step 4. Look Back. (Check)
Php 320.75 she had in the bank at the beginning of the day.
Example
In a prayer meeting, 8 elders greet each other by shake
hands with one another. How many shake hands will there
be?
Example
In a prayer meeting, 8 elders greet each other by shake
hands with one another. How many shake hands will there
be?
Solution:
Step 1. Understand the Problem. There are 8 elders in the prayer
meeting and each elder greet each other through shake hands with
one another. Meaning, each elder where able to make 7 shake hands.
The problem is to determine the number of shake hands.
Example
Solution:
Step 2. Devise a Plan. We can designate letter A for elder 1, B for elder 2, and so on and so
forth, hence, there will be 8 letters. Let’s put it this way:
AB AC AD AE AF AG AH
BC BD BE BF BG BH
CD CE CF CG CH
DE DF DG DH
EF EG EH
FG FH
GH
An organized list of all possible shake hands.
Example
In a prayer meeting, 8 elders greet each other by shake hands
with one another. How many shake hands will there be?
Solution:
Step 3. Carry Out the Plan. Using the diagram in step 2, each elder made
7 shake hands giving it a total of (8 * 7)/2 = 28 shake hands. Why divided
by 2? Because when the first elder shook hand with the second elder,
that is already the same as if the second elder shook hand with the first
elder. It would be a repetition of hand shake if you count it both.
Example
In a prayer meeting, 8 elders greet each other by shake
hands with one another. How many shake hands will there
be?
Solution:
Step 4. Look Back. Going back to step 2, look very carefully if there
are repetitions made, as in AB and BA, because both are considered
the same. Only one handshake at a time.
Finding a Pattern
This is a strategy in which patterns are being look
in the data in order to solve the problem. We look for
items or numbers that are repeated, or a series of
events that repeat. There are different
types of number patterns in Mathematics, these are:
Arithmetic Sequence, Geometric Sequence,
Square Numbers, Cube Numbers, Triangular Numbers,
and Fibonacci Numbers.
Terms of a Sequence
2,7,24,59,118,207, …
Consider the ordered list of numbers above. this is
called a sequence. The numbers in a sequence are
separated by a comma and each number are called terms
of the sequence. In our example, 2 is the first term, 7 is
the second term, and so forth and so on. The three dots
“…” indicate that the sequence continues beyond 207,
which is the last term. It is customary to use subscript to
use notation to designate the nth term of the sequence.
Terms of a Sequence
Example:
In the sequence; 5, 14, 27, 44, 65 …
a1 = 5, a2 = 14, a3 = 27, a4 = 44, a5 = 65
a. What is the next term?
Terms of a Sequence
Difference Table
Sequence: 5 14 27 44 65
First Difference: 9 13 17 21
Second Difference: 4 4 4
The second difference shows a pattern that the successive term is 4
greater than the preceding term in the first difference.
With the second difference, the number next to 21 is 21 + 4 that
yields 25. And next to 65 is 65 + 25 which is equal to 90.
Terms of a Sequence
Example:
In the sequence; 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, … ,
a. What is the 7th term?
b. What is the 15th term?
c. What is the 33rd term?
Terms of a Sequence
Example:
In the sequence; 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, … ,
a. What is the 7th term?
b. What is the 15th term?
c. What is the 33rd term?
Terms of a Sequence
Example:
In the sequence; 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, … ,
a. What is the 7th term?
b. What is the 15th term?
c. What is the 33rd term?
Terms of a Sequence
Example:
In the sequence; 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, … ,
a. What is the 7th term?
b. What is the 15th term?
c. What is the 33rd term?
Recreational Problems
Recreational Problems is mathematics done for recreation or as a hobby which is intended to be
fun.
Typically it involves games or puzzles that relate to mathematics, although the term can cover
other material.
Typically, recreational mathematics involves general logical and lateral thinking skills, as opposed
to advanced mathematical concepts, so that the average person is at least able to understand and
appreciate a recreational problem and its solution.
Recreational puzzles can also increase people’s appreciation of mathematics as a whole.
Example:
The magic square
A magic square is an arrangement of numbers in a square such that all rows, all columns
and both main diagonals sum to the same number, a number referred to as the magic constant. The
square on the right is perhaps the best-known example of magic square. Magic squares are a very
well-known mathematical recreation, like:
Exercise 1.
Some numbers are weird, others are happy. If you’d like to find out if a given number is happy,
you’ll need to perform the following set of operations.
Let’s take the number 44:
First, square each digit, then add then together:
Then, will do it again with our new number:
And again:
And finally:
VIOLA! It’s a happy number.
Anytime you take a number, perform this “procedure,” and eventually arrive
at the number 1, you have yourself a happy number. If your number never
reaches 1, then sadly, it’s unhappy. Interestingly, happy numbers are
extremely common; there are 10 of them from 1 to 50. Try others and submit
it to me.
Seatwork
1. In the sequence; 3, 8, 13, 18, 23, … ,
a. What is the 14th term?
b. What is the 82nd term?
c. What is the 99th term?
2. In the sequence; 15, 24, 33, 42, 51, … ,
a. What is the 27th term?
b. What is the 54th term?
c. What is the 73rd term?
Seatwork
1. In the sequence; 3, 8, 13, 18, 23, … ,
a. What is the 14th term?
b. What is the 82nd term?
c. What is the 99th term?
Seatwork
1. In the sequence; 3, 8, 13, 18, 23, … ,
a. What is the 14th term?
b. What is the 82nd term?
c. What is the 99th term?
Seatwork
1. In the sequence; 3, 8, 13, 18, 23, … ,
a. What is the 14th term?
b. What is the 82nd term?
c. What is the 99th term?
Seatwork
2. In the sequence; 15, 24, 33, 42, 51, … ,
a. What is the 27th term?
b. What is the 54th term?
c. What is the 73rd term?
Seatwork
2. In the sequence; 15, 24, 33, 42, 51, … ,
a. What is the 27th term?
b. What is the 54th term?
c. What is the 73rd term?
Seatwork
2. In the sequence; 15, 24, 33, 42, 51, … ,
a. What is the 27th term?
b. What is the 54th term?
c. What is the 73rd term?
Seatwork
2. In the sequence; 15, 24, 33, 42, 51, … ,
a. What is the 27th term?
b. What is the 54th term?
c. What is the 73rd term?
