Problem Solving

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.
 Use different 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
 Scientist often 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 Period of pendulum, in
units heartbeats
1 1
4 2
9 3
16 4
25 5
Length of pendulum, Period of pendulum,
in units in heartbeats
1 1
4 2
9 3
16 4
25 5
 If a pendulum has a length of 49 units,

what is its period?
 If the 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
height of a tsunami
Velocity of Height of
tsunami, in feet tsunami, in feet when its velocity is
per second doubled?
6 4
9 9
12 16
15 25  What should be the
18 36 height of tsunami if its
21 49
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.
1 1+ 5 𝑛 1− 5 𝑛
Fn = [( ) − ( ) ]
5 2 2
 Find Fib (50).

The Pascal’s Triangle
 Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) introduced the
Pascal’s Triangle
 (𝑥 + 𝑦)3 = 𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 2 𝑦 + 3𝑥𝑦 2 + 𝑦 3
 (𝑥 + 𝑦)6 = 𝑥 6 + 6𝑥 5 𝑦 + 15𝑥 4 𝑦 2 +
20𝑥 3 𝑦 3 + 15𝑥 2 𝑦 4 + 6𝑥𝑦 5 + 𝑦 6
 Find (𝑥 + 𝑦)7
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 problem
possibilities
 Use a model
 Use symmetry
 Work backward
 Consider special
 Use a formula
cases
 Be ingenious
 Use direct reasoning
 Solve an equation
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?

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Problem Solving

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Problem Solving

 Use different types of reasoning to justify statements

 Use different numbers.

 When you examine a list of numbers and

 A conjecture is an idea that may or may

 If a pendulum has a length of 49 units,

 If the length of the pendulum is

 From general to specific

 Find Fib (50).

 Understand the problem.

 Reynaldo is older than Ramiro.

3. The sum of two numbers is 89 and

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

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