Lesson 3.

1 Polya's 4-steps in Problem Solving

Objectives of the Lesson

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. state Polya's 4-steps in problem-solving
2. demonstrate Polya's 4-steps in solving problems

3.1.1 Who is George Polya?

Before going further, let me
introduce Polya to you. The picture on the
right is George Polya, born in Hungary in
1887. He finished his Doctor of Philosophy
degree at the University of Budapest, but he
was a professor at Stanford University in the
United States.

He was a great champion in the field

of teaching effective problem-solving skills. Photo grabbed from https://www.e-alyss.com/blog/wp-
He wrote many mathematical papers along content/uploads/2016/01/GEORGE-POLYA-The-Father-of-problem-Solving-
Alyss.jpg
with three books, the most famous of which
is "How to Solve It." Because of these, he was known as the Father of Modern
Problem Solving. Polya died in 1985 at the age of 98.

3.1.2 Polya's Problem Solving Techniques

Now let us take a hard look at Polya's famous 4-step process for solving
problems. Here they are with a checklist of guide questions and pieces of advice for
each step.

Polya's Four-step Process for Solving Problems

STEP 1. UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM

✓ Do you understand all the words?

✓ Can you restate the problem in your own words?
✓ Do you know what is given?
✓ Is there enough information?
✓ Is there extraneous information?
✓ Is this problem similar to another problem you have solved?

STEP 2. DEVISE A PLAN

✓ Find the connection between the data and the unknown.
✓ Choose the strategy that you can use to solve the problem.

STEP 3. CARRY OUT THE PLAN

✓ Implement the strategy or strategies that you have chosen until the problem is
solved.
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 ✓ Give yourself a reasonable amount of time in which to solve the problem.
✓ Do not be afraid of starting over.

STEP 4. LOOK BACK

✓ Is your solution correct?

✓ Does your answer satisfy the statement of the problem?
✓ Can you see an easier solution?

Below is an example to show you how Polya's 4-step in solving problems is applied.
In a blueprint of a rectangular room, the length is 1 inch more than three times the
width. Find the dimensions of the room if its perimeter is 26 inches.
Step 1. Understand the problem.
✓ Read the problem carefully and understand all the words.
✓ Let the length be represented by l and the width by w.
✓ In the problem, the length is 1 inch more than three times the width.
Therefore, we can now let
𝑙 = 1 + 3𝑤 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤 = 𝑤
Step 2. Devise a plan. (Translate into a workable equation.)
The perimeter of the room is 26 inches.
Recall that the formula in finding the perimeter of a rectangle is 𝑃 =
2𝑙 + 2𝑤 𝑜𝑟 𝑃 = 2(𝑙 + 𝑤). Now substituting 𝒍 and 𝒘 in the formula for perimeter, the
result is
2(1 + 3𝑤 + 𝑤) = 26.
Step 3. Carry out the plan. (Solve.)
Adding similar terms 2(1 + 4𝑤) = 26
DPMA 2 + 8𝑤 = 26
Additive Inverse −2 + 2 + 8𝑤 = 26 − 2
8𝑤 24
Multiplicative Inverse =
8 2

𝑤 = 3 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠
𝑙 = 1 + 3(3)
=1+9
𝑙 = 10 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠

Step 4. Look back. (Check and interpret.)

2(10) + 2(3) = 26
20 + 6 = 26
26 = 26
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Lesson 3.2 Problem Solving Strategies

Lesson Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. Identify the different strategies used in solving problems
2. Solve problems using the common problem-solving strategies

You, I, and other people encounter different problems almost every day. These
problems vary from the simplest to the more complex ones. If the latter is to be faced,
you need to identify the problem and then apply a strategy for solving the problem.
Note: There are two kinds of problems that we solve in mathematics.

Classification of Problems
1. Problems to find
Examples: a. Find the area of a square with a side length of 3 inches.
b. How much interest would Php 100,000 earn at a 1.5% simple interest
rate for 6 months?

c. What is 45% of 580?

2. Problems to prove
Example: Prove that n(n+1)(n+2)(n+3) cannot be the square of an integer.
A problem-solving strategy is a plan of action that is used to find a solution.
Different strategies call for different action plans.
Polya would like us to choose the strategies in his second step, which is to be
applied in his third step. He called them heuristics. There are many common problem-
solving strategies that you can use in finding solutions to problems that are tackled in
this lesson.

3.2.1 Draw a Picture/Diagram/Act It Out

To make a diagram, you must

read the problem carefully for you to be
able to include the given information into
it. From this, you can now work out the
solution.

This strategy is appropriate to use when

❖ A physical situation is involved,
❖ Geometric figures or measurements are involved, and
❖ A visual representation of the problem is possible.
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 Example

A worm is trying to escape from a well that is 10-ft deep. The worm climbs 2 feet per
day, but each night it slides back 1 foot. How many days will the worm take to climb
out of the well?

Solution:

Draw a diagram to allow you to track the worm's day to day position.

The worm reaches 10 ft. and climbs out of the well on the ninth day.

Try this!

Draw a square and its diagonals. How many triangles of all sizes can you see?

3.2.2 Guess and Check or Guess and Test

When you use this strategy, you will

make a reasonable guess based on the
given information and then check to see if
your guess is correct. The guesses should
get closer and closer to the answer until you
find the right answer.

The Guess and Test strategy may be

appropriate when:
❖ There is a limited number of possible answers to try.
❖ You have a good idea of what the answer is.
❖ You can systematically try possible answers.
❖ There is no obvious strategy to try

Example
The sum of 2 consecutive odd numbers is 44. What are the two numbers?
Solution: Guess and check
Before guessing, always make sure you understand the problem.
Sum: refer to adding numbers
Consecutive: In the context of this problem, it will mean that we are looking for
and odd number and the next odd number that immediately follows the
first one.
Guessing here means that you will arbitrarily pick two odd numbers, add
them, and see if it is equal to 44.

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 15 + 17 = 32. It does not work. Since 32 is smaller than 44, pick
higher numbers.

19 + 21 = 40. Getting closer

21 + 23 = 44. There we have it! We found the two numbers by guessing.

Try this!

Two numbers have a difference of five, and their product is 924. What is the
sum of the numbers?

3.2.3 Use a table or make a list

Using a table or making a list is a good

way to sort out and organize the information
given in the question. The information that
has been set out in the table will hopefully
lead you to the correct solution.

Once you can see all of the

possibilities for the solution, you can then attempt to solve the problem more quickly.
This strategy is appropriate to use when:
❖ Information can easily be organized and presented,
❖ Data can easily be generated,
❖ Listing the results obtained by using Guess and Test, and
❖ Asked "in how many ways" something can be done.

Example

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

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Solution:

The number Layers Pattern Total dots

of dots for 7 1 3 3
layers of 2 3+3 6
triangles is
36. 3 3+3+4 10
4 3+3+4+5 15
5 3+3+4+5+6 21
6 3+3+4+5+6+7 28
7 3+3+4+5+6+7+8 36

Try this!
In how many ways can Albert, Tyrone, Cris, and Dave stand in a row? List
their positions.
3.2.4 Logical Reasoning

This strategy requires you to

use the information you have been
given in the question to find
relationships in them. From there,
you can form your answer.
Example

Shuttle Worth sold 51 jars of her homemade jam in exactly three days. Each day she
sold 2 more jars than she sold on the previous day. How many jars did she sell on
each day?

Solution:

Applying the Logical Reasoning. Most students can approach the problem from an
algebraic point of view:
x denotes the number of jars sold on the first day.
x + 2 denotes the number of jars sold on the second day.
x + 4 denotes the number of jars sold on the third day.
x + (x + 2) + (x + 4) = 51
3x + 6 = 51
3x = 45
x = 15.
She sold 15 jars the first day, 17 jars the second day, and 19 jars the third day.
Now, let's look at this problem from logical reasoning. She sold 51 jars on three
days, an average of 17 jars per day. Because the difference between the numbers
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sold on each day is a constant, the 17 represents the number sold on the "middle"
day. Thus on the day the previous day, she sold 17 - 2 or 15 jars, and on the day
following, she sold 17 + 2 or 19 jars.
Try this!
A farm owner has 28 pigs. All but 13 dies. How many pigs were left?

3.2.5 Find a Pattern

When you use this strategy,
look for a pattern from the given
information. Once you have identified
the pattern, you can predict what will
happen next and then continue the
pattern to find the correct solution.

Example:

Each member of a club shook hands with every other member who came for a
meeting. There was a total of 45 handshakes. How many members were present at
the meeting?

A B C D E F G H I J
A
B ●
C ● ●
D ● ● ●
E ● ● ● ●
F ● ● ● ● ●
G ● ● ● ● ● ●
H ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
I ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
J ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
HS 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Solution:

Total = 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 45 handshakes

There were 10 members.

Try this!

How many odd whole numbers will give a sum of 140?

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3.2.6 Working Backwards
Working backwards is an excellent strategy
to use when the final outcome of the problem
has already been given. You just need to work
out what the events were that occurred
previously. This strategy is used when the
problem is presented in steps.

Example:

Sam's mom left a plate of cookies on the counter. Sam ate 2 of them, his dad
ate 3 of them, and they gave 12 to the neighbor. At the end of the day, only 4
cookies were left on the plate. How many cookies did she make altogether?

Solution:

In this case, we know that the final cookie amount is 4. So if we work backward
to "put back" all the cookies that were taken or eaten, we can figure out what number
they started with.
Because cookies are being taken away, which denotes subtraction, thus, to get
back to the original number, we have to do the opposite: add. If you take the 4 that are
left and add the 12 given to the neighbors and add the 3 that Dad ate, and then add
the 2 that Sam ate, we find that Sam's mom made 21 cookies.
Equation:
4 - cookies left
2 - cookies eaten by Sam
3 - cookies eaten by Dad
12- cookies given to the neighbor

By working Backwards; 4 + 12 + 3 + 2 = 21 cookies

Try this!
Cristine received her allowance for the day. On her way to school, she spent
Php22 for the fare. When she reached her school, she bought a pancake worth Php12
before entering her class. She spent Php28 for snacks and Php55 for lunch. A
classmate who owed her Php200 paid on that day. She gave her group leader Php50
as a contribution to their school project. She went home after school and again paid
Php22 for the fare. She was left with Php273. How much was the allowance given to
her?

3.2.7 Solve an Easier Version

Sometimes the problem is too difficult to solve in one step. When this happens,
you will be able to make the problem simpler by dividing it into smaller and most
manageable steps, such as rewording the question using smaller numbers.

Example:

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 There will be 7 players playing in a tournament. Each player must play every
other player once. How many games will Q take place in the tournament?

Solution:
Simplify the problem.

Case 1: The 2nd person plays the 1st, i.e., 1 game.

Case 2: The 3rd person plays the 1st and 2nd, i.e., 2 games.
Case 3: The 4th person plays the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, i.e., 3 games.
Case 4: The 5th person plays the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, i.e., 4 games.

The total number of games for 5 people = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10 games.

Therefore, for 6 people, it would be 10 + 5 = 15 games, and for 7 people, it

would be 15+6 = 21 games.

Another way of representing the solution is by making a table.

3.2.8 Use a Variable

The strategy use a variable is often used when solving algebraic problems. We
can use this when we solve number problems, consecutive integer problems, age
problems, digit problems, and many other problems. This strategy is appropriate to
use when
 A phrase similar to "for any number" is present or implied
 A problem suggests an equation
 A problem contains phrases such as "consecutive," "even," or "odd"
whole numbers
 There is an unknown quantity related to known quantities.

Here are some examples.

Example 1. Three times the difference of a number and two is the same as
the number increased by 8. Find the number.

Solution:

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Step 1. Understand the problem.
Read the problem carefully and analyze what is given and what is
being asked in the problem. Since we are looking for a number, we can represent
that number by 𝑥.
Step 2. Devise a plan. (Translate.)
Three times the difference of a number and two is the same as the number increased by 8.

3(𝑥 − 2) = 𝑥+8
Step 3. Carry out the plan. (Solve.)

3(𝑥 − 2) = 𝑥 + 8
3𝑥 − 6 = 𝑥 + 8
3𝑥 − 𝑥 = 8 + 6
2𝑥 = 14
𝑥 = 7 (the number)
Step 4. Check.
3(x - 2) = x + 8
3(7 - 2) = 7 + 8
3(5) = 15
15 = 15
Example 2. Find three consecutive integers if five times the third is equal to eighteen
more than the sum of the first and the second.
Step 1. Understand the problem.
There are three consecutive integers. We can represent them by 𝑥, 𝑥 +
1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 + 2. Understand the relationship given among the three integers to formulate
the equation.
𝑥 – first integer
𝑥 + 1 – second integer
𝑥 + 2 – third integer
Step 2. Devise a plan. (Translate.)
five times the third is equal to eighteen more than the sum of the first and the second

5(𝑥 + 2) = 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 1 + 18
Step 3. Carry out the plan. (Solve.)
5(𝑥 + 2) = 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 1 + 18
5𝑥 + 10 = 2𝑥 + 19
5𝑥 − 2𝑥 = 19 − 10
3𝑥 = 9
𝑥 = 3 (the first integer)
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 𝑥 + 1 = 4 (the second integer)
𝑥 + 2 = 5 (the third integer)
Step 4. Check.
5(𝑥 + 2) = 𝑥 + 𝑥 + 1 + 18
5(5) = 3 + 4 + 18
25 = 25
Therefore, the three consecutive integers are 3, 4, and 5.
Example 3. A certain number is between 30 and 40. If the number is divided by the
sum of its digits, the quotient is four. Find the number.
Note: This is an example of a digit problem. If the number is between 30 and 40,
then the tens digit must be 3. So we can represent the unit digit as 𝑥.
Solution: Let 𝑥 be the unit digit and 3 be the tens digit.
Since the tens digit is 3 and the unit digit is 𝑥, then the number must be
30 + 𝑥.
If the number is divided by the sum of its digits, the quotient is four.
30+𝑥
=4
3+𝑥

Solving the equation,

30+𝑥
=4
3+𝑥

30 + 𝑥 = 4(3 + 𝑥)
30 + 𝑥 = 12 + 4𝑥 or 12 + 4𝑥 = 30 + 𝑥
3𝑥 = 18
𝑥 = 6 (the unit digit)
Therefore the number is 36.
Note: The following are examples of age problems. Let us remember that a person
has three ages: the past age, the present age, and the future age. To get
the age of a person in the past, we need to subtract from his present age. To
get his age in the future, we need to add to his present age.

Example 4. A lawyer's age is now seven-ninths of what his age will be 18 years from
now. How old is he now?
Solution: Let 𝑥 be the present age of the lawyer, and
𝑥 + 18 be the age of the lawyer 18 years from now.

lawyer's age is now seven-ninths of what his age will be 18 years from now
7
𝑥 = (𝑥 + 18) This is the equation of the problem.
9

Solving the equation, we have

11
 7
𝑥 = 9 (𝑥 + 18)

9𝑥 = 7(𝑥 + 18)
9𝑥 = 7𝑥 + 126
9𝑥 − 7𝑥 = 126
2𝑥 = 126
2 126
𝑥=
2 2

𝑥 = 63 (the age of the lawyer)

Example 5. Rico is three times as old as his brother. Six years ago, the sum of their
ages was equal to Rico's present age. How old are they now?

Solution: Let us tabulate the given data in the problem.

Present age Past age (6 years ago)

brother 𝑥 𝑥−6
Rico 3𝑥 3𝑥 − 6

Six years ago, the sum of their ages was equal to Rico's present age.
(𝑥 − 6) + (3𝑥 − 6) = 3𝑥
Solving the equation, we have
4𝑥 − 12 = 3𝑥
4𝑥 − 3𝑥 = 12
𝑥 = 12 (the brother’s age)
3𝑥 = 36 (Rico’s age)

Example 6. One-fifth of a doctor's age eight years ago equals one-ninth of his age
24 years hence. How old is he now?

Solution: Let us tabulate the given data in the problem.

Present Past age (8 years ago) Future age (24 years from now)
age
Doctor 𝑥 𝑥−8 𝑥 + 24

One-fifth of a doctor's age eight years ago equals one-ninth of his age 24 years hence.
1 1
(𝑥 − 8) = (𝑥 + 24)
5 9

Solving the equation, we have

1 1
(𝑥 − 8) = (𝑥 + 24)
5 9

9(𝑥 − 8) = 5(𝑥 + 24)

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 9𝑥 − 72 = 5𝑥 + 120
9𝑥 − 5𝑥 = 120 + 72
4𝑥 = 192
4 192
𝑥=
4 4

𝑥 = 48

Lesson 3.3 Mathematical Problems Involving Patterns

Lesson Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. Develop and use the strategy "look for a pattern" to solve problems involving
patterns
2. Organize methods and approaches for solving problems using Polya's four
steps
3. Demonstrate logical, verbal, numerical, and spatial aptitudes in solving
mathematical problems involving patterns
Often, mathematical problems are solved by using formulas. But what will you do
if you do not have such formulas? In cases like these, you have to look for patterns or
regularities in them. Recognizing patterns is a vital element of logical shape, position,
and spatial aptitudes.
You have already encountered a lesson on this in unit 1 but for now, let us focus
on finding patterns in mathematical problems. Once again, you have to follow Polya's
four-step method with another helpful technique of "make a table/list."
Here are some examples.
Example 1

EJ takes up jogging. In the first week, he jogs for 10 minutes per day. In the
second week, he jogs for 12 minutes per day. Each week, he wants to increase his
jogging time by 2 minutes per day. If he jogs six days each week, what will be his total
jogging time in the fifth week?

Solution

Step 1. Understand. What do we know?

In the first week, EJ jogs 10 minutes per day for six days. In the second week,
he jogs 12 minutes per day for six days.
Each week, he increases his jogging time by 2 minutes per day. He jogs 6
days per week. What is to find? EJ's total jogging time in week five.

Step 2. Strategy. We want to find his total jogging time in week five
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 A good strategy is to list the data we have been given in a table and use the
information we have been given to find new information.

We are told that EJ jogs 10 minutes per day for six days in the first week and
12 minutes per day for six days in the second week. We can enter this information in
a table:

Week Minutes per Day Minutes per Week

1 10 60

2 12 72

You are told that each week EJ increases his jogging time by 2 minutes per
day and jogs 6 times per week. We can use this information to continue filling in the
table until we get to week five.

Week Minutes per Day Minutes per Week

1 10 60

2 12 72

3 14 84

4 16 96

5 18 108

Step 3. Apply strategy/solve

To get the answer, we read the entry for week five.

Answer: In week five EJ jogs a total of 108 minutes.

Step 4. Check
EJ increases his jogging time by two minutes per day. He jogs six days per
week. This means that he increases his jogging time by 12 minutes per week.
EJ starts at 60 minutes per week, and he increases by 12 minutes per week
for four weeks.

That means the total jogging time is 60 + 12 × 4 = 108 minutes.

The answer checks out.

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 You can see that making a table helped us organize and clarify the information
we were given and helped lead us in the next steps of the problem. We solved this
problem uniquely by making a table; in many situations, we would combine this
strategy with others to get a solution.

Note:
A diagonal of a polygon is a line segment that connects vertices (corners) of
the polygon. The following are polygons: triangle, quadrilateral, pentagon, and
hexagon.

Triangle Quadrilateral pentagon hexagon

Example 2
Determine the number of diagonals in a heptagon and octagon

Solution:
Step 1. Understand
We know that a heptagon has seven sides, an octagon has eight sides

Step 2. Strategy
Draw a table that shows the number of sides and the number of diagonals.

Table
Number of sides 3 4 5 6 7 8
Number of 0 2 5 9
Diagonals

Step 3. Apply strategy/Solve

Sequence 0 2 5 9 14 20

First difference 2 3 4 5 6

Second difference 1 1 1 1

Answer:
From the sequence, the number of diagonals of a heptagon is 14, and
for octagon, it has 20 diagonals.

Step 4. Check: Draw the pentagon and hexagon

15
Example 3
A group of businessmen was at a networking meeting. Each businessman
exchanged his business card with every other businessman who was present.

a. If there were 16 businessmen, how many business cards were exchanged?

b. If there was a total of 380 business cards exchanged, how many
businessmen were at the meeting?

Solution:

Step 1. Understand. There are 16 businessmen in a meeting. Each businessman

exchanged cards.
Step 2. Strategy. Draw a table showing the sixteen businessmen
Step 3. Apply Strategy/Solve

Let x - represents the number of exchanges between each businessman.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 total
1 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 15
2 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 14
3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x 13
4 x x x x x x x x x x x x 12
5 x x x x x x x x x x x 11
6 10
7 9
8 8
9 7
10 6
11 5
12 4
13 3
14 2
15 1
16 0
120

a. The number of exchanges = 15+14+13 +12 +11 +10 +9 +8 +7 +6 +5 +4 +3 + 2 + 1

= 120 exchanges

Each exchange means two business cards.

So, the number of business card = 120 × 2 = 240

b. If there are 380 business cards, let us divide it by 2

380 ÷ 2 = 190

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 190 = (19 × 20) ÷ 2 = 19 + 18 + 17 + … + 3 + 2 + 1

Step 4. Check.

If there was a total of 380 business cards exchanged, there were 20 businessmen at
the meeting.

The pattern here is 16 x 15 = 240. So, for 380, we divide it by two, and the
quotient is 190. The factors of 190 are 19 and 20. The biggest integer is the number
of businessmen.

Lesson 3.4 Recreational Problems Using Mathematics

Lesson Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. Solve recreational problems using Polya's four steps
2. Organize methods and approaches in solving recreational problems
3. Enhance their ability to think critically about mathematical topics.

Recreational mathematics is mathematics conducted for recreation and

entertainment. It contains mathematical puzzles and games. Math puzzles and riddles
are the most well-known activities within recreational math. They are fun and
interesting; they help improve problem-solving skills and thinking capacity.

Although many topics in this field require no knowledge of mathematics, they are
also an important area of research for many mathematicians. There are hundreds of
puzzle and riddle books dating back to the 1800s.

Have fun, and enjoy the examples below.

Example 1
What are the largest and smallest numbers that you can write down in words
by using any letter from the alphabet only once? Example: EIGHTY
but not NINETY as N is used twice.
Answer:
FIVE THOUSAND is the largest number that you can write down in words using
any letter from the alphabet only once, while the smallest number is ZERO. Both
numbers were spelled without having any letter that has been repeated. You can
think of a much greater number. Hence those numbers will definitely dissatisfy the
condition that was provided in the problem.

Example 2

17
 Suppose you have a basket containing ten apples. You have ten friends, and you
give each of them one apple. Yet there is an apple remaining in the basket. How did it
happen?

Answer:

There are two possible answers to the given problem. First, you might give an apple
to each of your nine friends and give the last apple together with the basket to your
tenth friend. Second, give your ten friends with one apple each, and then after, one of
them asks to have the basket and put the apple inside it.

Example 3

How many presents are there all together with the Christmas song "12 Days of
Christmas"? Here are some of its lyrics.

On the first day of Christmas,

my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,

my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas,

my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

The song continues, adding 4 calling birds on the 4th day, 5 golden rings on the
5th, and so on up to the 12th day when 12 drummers add to the cacophony (an
unpleasant mixture of sounds) of assorted birds, pipers, and lords leaping all over the
place.

Answer:
Upon reading the problem, perhaps some of you would have recalled how we
sing the Christmas song. Having been reminded of the lyrics and how does the song
goes to answer the question, we can now consider listing the kind of presents that
have been mentioned in the song and how many times those presents have been
mentioned in the lyrics. Thus, the list of the kind of presents and the number of times
they have been mentioned was:

Partridges: 1 × 12 = 12 Swans: 7 × 6 = 42
Doves: 2 × 11 = 22 Maids : 8 × 5 = 40
Hens: 3× 10 = 30 Ladies: 9 × 4 = 36
Calling birds: 4 × 9 = 36 Lords: 10 × 3 = 30
Golden rings: 5 × 8 = 40 Pipers: 11 × 2 = 22
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 Geese: 6 × 7 = 42 Drummers: 12 × 1 = 12

Total = 364 GIFTS

Having done with the listing, we can now add everything to find the total
presents that have been altogether on the song. As for the result, we ended up with a
total of 364 presents. And isn't it worth noting that the total number of presents is just
one present less from 365 days in a year?

Example 4
A frog is at the bottom of a 30-foot well. Each morning the fog jumps 3 feet up
the path out, but as it sleeps each night, it slips back 2 feet down. Thus, on the first
day, the frog has 30 feet to go, on the second day, it has 29 feet to go, and so on. How
many days does it take the frog to get out of the well?

Answer:
Consider the distance that the frog reaches each day that is 3 feet up – 2 feet
down = 1 foot. It means that the frog increment or goes up 1 foot each day. Thus in 3
days, the frog has reached 3 feet; so, considering the depth of the well, which is 30
feet, we can subtract the increment of the frog in 3 days, which is 3 feet. In figures,
that is 30 feet – 3 feet = 27 feet. Therefore, the frog climbed about 27 feet on the 27th
day. Three feet are remaining that the frog needed to jump to be of the same level of
the mouth of the well, and it will happen on the morning of the 28th day when the frog
will have one more jump. That is 27 feet + 3 feet = 30 feet. Therefore the answer is
28.

Example 5
How can you make a nine out of these sticks?

Answer
By merely looking on the sticks, it seems impossible to make a nine out of
eleven without losing a single one. But using our imagination, we can think that having
the symbol for nine will not satisfy the given conditions. Hence if we will consider it as
words, we will end up with:

Here, we have utilized all of the eleven segments, thus satisfying the given
condition and still producing nine.

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Suggested Readings and Websites
http://www.mathstories.com/strategies.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMlVcGEn7EE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ZwlLTiNrI

References
Baltazar, Ethel Cecille, Ragasa, Carmelita, Evangelista, Justina (2018). Mathematics
in the Modern World. C&E Publishing, Inc.: Quezon City.
Berggren, Lennart; Borwein, Jonathan M.; Borwein, Peter B. (2004). Pi: A Source
Book. Springer: New York.
Boyer, C.B. (1991) [1989]. A History of Mathematics. 2nd ed. Wiley: New York.
Calingasan, Recto M., Martin, Mary. Yambao, Enrico (2018). Mathematics in the
Modern World. C & E Publishing, Inc.: Quezon City.
Cuomo, Serafina (2001). Ancient Mathematics. Routledge: London.
Daligdig, Romeo M. (2019) Mathematics in the Modern World. Lori Mar Publishing:
Quezon City.
Goodman, Michael, K.J. (2016) An introduction of the Early Development of
Mathematics. Wiley: Hoboken.
Gullberg, Jan (1997). Mathematics: From the Birth of Numbers. W.W. Norton and
Company: New York.
Katz, Victor J. (1998). A History of Mathematics: An Introduction, 2nd ed. Addison-
Wesley: Boston.

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Musser, G.L., Burger, W.F., and Peterson, B.E. (2002) Mathematics for Elementary
Teachers: A Contemporary Approach. 6th edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: New
Jersey.
Polya, G. (1973). How to Solve It: a new aspect of mathematical method. New
Jersey: Princeton University Press.
Zeitz, Paul. (1999). The Art and Craft of Problem Solving. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.:
New Jersey.

Online References

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=polyas+problem+solving+in+math++&&view
=detail&mid=34DA5F5B4908C625C7F134DA5F5B4908C625C7F1&&FORM=VRDG
AR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dpolyas%2Bproblem%2Bsolving%2Bin%2B
math%2B%2B%26FORM%3DHDRSC3

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=polyas+problem+solving+in+math++&&view
=detail&mid=7EEB669DC0F51F97D1487EEB669DC0F51F97D148&&FORM=VRD
GAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dpolyas%2Bproblem%2Bsolving%2Bin%2
Bmath%2B%2B%26FORM%3DHDRSC3
https://library.ucalgary.ca/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recreational_mathematics

https://www.mathsisfun.com/

https://www.onlinemathlearning.com/find-patterns.html

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