Lesson 2.
3
Mathematical
Reasoning
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:
1. Analyze problems using different types of reasoning.
2. Apply different types of reasoning to justify
statements and arguments made about mathematics
and mathematical concepts.
WHAT IS AN ARGUMENT?
-a group of statements, in which
some of them (the premise) are
intended to support another
statement (the conclusion).
An argument is not a quarrel,
bickering, or verbal fighting of
any kind. When we use the word
argument in logic, this is not
what we mean.
Two types of Argument or
Reasoning
1. Deductive Reasoning
2. Inductive Reasoning
INDUCTIVE
& DEDUCTIVE
REASONING
INDUCTIVE REASONING
It is the process of reaching a
general conclusion by
examining specific examples.
INDUCTIVE REASONING
The conclusion formed by using
inductive reasoning is often
called a conjecture, since it may
or may not be correct.
E xample 1:
Use inductive reasoning to predict the next number in
each item.
1. 2,8,14,20,26, _____
2. 1,2,5,10,17,26, _____
E xample 2:
A. Every sports car I have ever seen is red. Thus, all
sports cars are red.
B. The coin I pulled from the bag is a 5-peso coin.
Another 5-peso coin is drawn from the bag. A third
coin from the bag is again a 5-peso coin. Therefore,
all the coins in the bag are 5-peso coins.
E xample 3:
Consider the following. Pick a number. Multiply the
number by 4, add 8 to the product, divide the sum by 2,
and subtract 5. Complete the above procedure for
several different numbers. Use inductive reasoning to
make a conjecture about the relationship between the
size of the resulting number and the size of the original
number.
Solution:
Suppose we start with seven as the original number. Then
repeat the process for different numbers. The procedure yields
the following:
We conjecture that the given procedure produces a number
that is one less than twice the original number.
Remarks:
When we use inductive reasoning, we have no
guarantee that our conclusion is correct. Just because
a pattern is true for a few cases, it does not mean the
pattern will continue. A statement is a true statement
provided that it is valid in all cases. If we can find one
case for which a statement is not valid, called a
counterexample, then it is a false statement.
DEDUCTIVE REASONING
It is the process of reaching a
conclusion by applying
general assumptions, procedures,
or principles.
DEDUCTIVE REASONING
Deduction starts out with a general
statement, or hypothesis, and
examines the possibilities to reach a
specific, logical conclusion.
E xample 1:
1. All men are mortal. Kahwi is a man. Therefore,
Kahwi is mortal.
2. Corresponding parts of congruent triangles are
congruent. Triangle ABC is congruent to triangle
DEF. Angle B and angle E are corresponding angles.
Thus, angle B is congruent to angle E.
GENERALITIES
DEDUCTIVE INDUCTIVE
SPECIFIC
CASES
Determine if each of the following statement
uses inductive or deductive reasoning.
IR 1. Teacher Erica is an enthusiastic and passionate teacher.
Therefore, all teachers are enthusiastic and passionate.
DR 2. All dogs are animals. Dhai is a dog. Thus, Dhai is an
animal.
IR 3. I got low score on the first long exam. I just recently took
the second long exam and I got low score. Therefore, I will
also get a low score on the third long exam.
Determine if each of the following statement
uses inductive or deductive reasoning.
IR 4. My classmates are disrespectful toward our instructor.
Hence, all students are disrespectful.
IR 5. Last Wednesday it was raining. Today is Wednesday and it
is raining. Therefore, on the next Wednesday, it will also rain.
DR 6. For any right triangle, the Pythagorean Theorem holds.
ABC is a right triangle, therefore for ABC the Pythagorean
Theorem holds.
IR 7. All basketball players in your school are tall, so all
basketball players must be tall.
LOGIC PUZZLES
A logic puzzle is a puzzle deriving from the
mathematics field of deduction.
Logic puzzles can be solved by using deductive
reasoning and by organizing the data in a
given situation.
LOGIC PUZZLES
A logic puzzle is basically a description of an
event or any situation. Using the clues
provided, one has to piece together what
actually happened. This involves clear and
logical thinking, hence the term “logic” puzzles.
Example 1
Three musicians appeared at a concert. Their last names were Benton, Lanier, and
Rosario. Each plays only one of the following instruments: guitar, piano, or saxophone.
1. Benton and the guitar player arrived at the concert together.
2. The saxophone player performed before Benton.
3. Rosario wished the guitar player good luck.
Who played each instrument?
Guitar Piano Saxophone
Benton
Lanier
Rosario
Example 2
You have a basket containing ten apples. You have 10 friends,
who each desire an apple. You give each of your friends, one
apple. Now all your friends have one apple each, yet there is an
apple remaining in the basket. How?
Solution:
✎You give an apple to your first nine friends, and a basket with an apple
to your tenth friend. Each friend has an apple, and one of them has it
in a basket.
✎ Alternative answer: one friend already had an apple and put it in the
basket.
Example 3
Anna is a teacher and her cousins are a banker, a salesperson,
and an engineer. All of them sit in a round table. Anna sits on
Melody’s left after the engineer. Chinky sits at the banker’s right.
Katherine, who faces Melody, is not the salesperson. Determine
the seating arrangement and occupations of the cousins
