Problem Solving

Prof. Annabelle Q. Sollano

 Monty Hall Problem:
The grand prize in Let’s Make a Deal is
behind one of three doors. Less desirable
prizes (for instance, a goat and a box of
candy) are behind the other two doors.
You select one of the doors, say door 1.
Monty Hall reveals one of the less
desirable prizes behind one of the other
doors. You are then given the opportunity
either to stay with your original choice or
to choose the remaining closed door.
What do you think? Do you have a
better chance of winning the grand prize
by switching to the other closed door or
staying with your original choice?. 2

PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning – is the

process of reaching a general
conclusion by examining
specific examples. A
conclusion based on inductive
reasoning is called a
conjecture. A conjecture may
or may not be correct.
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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

EXAMPLE 1:
Use inductive reasoning to predict
the next number in each of the
following lists.
a) 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, ?
b) 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, ?

PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

EXAMPLE 2:
Consider the following procedure: Pick a
number. Multiply the number by 8, add 6 to
the product, divide the sum by 2, and
subtract 3.
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. 5

PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
 1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
EXAMPLE 3:

Length of Period of pendulum,

pendulum, in units in heartbeats
1 1
4 2
9 3
16 4
25 5
36 6
The period of a pendulum
Use the data in the table and inductive reasoning to
is the time it takes for the
answer each of the following questions. pendulum to swing from
a) If a pendulum has a length of 49 units, what is its
left to right and back to its
period? original position.
b) If the length of a pendulum is quadrupled, what 6
happens to its period?

PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

Deductive Reasoning – is the

process of reaching a
conclusion by applying general
assumptions, procedures, or
principles.

PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

EXAMPLE 4: Solve a Logic Puzzle

Each of four neighbors, Sean, Maria, Sarah, and
Brian, has a different occupation (editor, banker, chef,
or dentist). From the following clues, determine the
occupation of each neighbor.
1) Maria gets home from work after the banker but
before the dentist.
2) Sarah, who is the last to get home from work, is not
the editor.
3) The dentist and Sarah leave for work at the same
time.
4) The banker lives next door to Brian. 8

PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

A statement is a true statement

provided it is true in all cases.
If you can find one case in which
a statement is not true, called a
counterexample, then the
statement is a false statement.

PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

EXAMPLE 5: Find a Counterexample

Verify that each of the following
statements is a false statement by
finding a counterexample.
For all number :
a)
b)
c) 1
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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
2. Problem Solving with Patterns

Sequences
A sequence is an ordered list of
numbers. Each number in a sequence
is called a term of the sequence. The
is used to designate the term of a
sequence.
A formula that can be used to
generate all the terms of a sequence is
called an formula. 1
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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
2. Problem Solving with Patterns

EXAMPLE 1: Predict the Next

Term
Use a difference table to predict the
next term in the sequence.
2, 7, 24, 59, 118, 207, …

1
2

PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
2. Problem Solving with Patterns

EXAMPLE 2: Find an nth-Term Formula

Assume the pattern shown by the square tiles in
the following figures continues.
a. What is the th-term formula for the number of
tiles in the th figure of the sequence?
b. How many tiles are in the eighth of the
sequence?
c. Which figure will consist of exactly 320 tiles?

1
. 𝑎1 𝑎2 𝑎3 𝑎4 3

PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
2. Problem Solving with Patterns
Fibonacci’s Rabbit Problem
At the beginning of a month,
you are given a pair of newborn
rabbits. After a month the rabbits
have produce no offspring;
however, every month thereafter,
the pair of rabbits produces
another pair of rabbits. The
offspring reproduce in exactly the
same manner. If none of the
rabbits dies, how many pairs of
rabbits will there be at the start
of each succeeding month? 1
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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
2. Problem Solving with Patterns

EXAMPLE 3: Find a Fibonacci

Number
The Fibonacci Numbers
, , and for .

Use the definition of Fibonacci

numbers to find the seventh and
eighth Fibonacci numbers.
1
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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
2. Problem Solving with Patterns

EXAMPLE 4: Find a Fibonacci Number

Determine whether each of the
following statements about Fibonacci
numbers is true or false.
Note: the first 10 terms of the Fibonacci
sequence are 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34,
and 55.
a. If n is even, then is an odd number.
b. for 1
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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
3. Problem-Solving Strategies

One of the foremost recent

mathematicians to make a study of
problem solving was George Polya
(1877-1985). He was born in Hungary
and moved to the United States in
1940. the basic problem-solving
strategy that Polya advocated
consisted of the following four steps.
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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
3. Problem-Solving Strategies

Polya’s Four-Step Problem-

Solving Strategy
1) Understand the problem.
2) Devise a plan.
3) Carry out the plan.
4) Review the solution.

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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
3. Problem-Solving Strategies

Polya’s four steps are deceptively

simple. To become a good problem
solver, it helps to examine each of
these steps and determine what is
involved.

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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
 3. Problem-Solving Strategies
You must have a clear
understanding of the
Once you have found a problem.
solution, check the “Can you restate the
solution. problem in your own
Ensure that the words?”
solution is consistent
with the facts of the
problem.

Successful problem
• Work carefully. solvers use a variety of
• Keep an accurate techniques when they
and neat record of attempt to solve a
all your attempts. problem. 2
0
• Realize that some of
your initial plans will
PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
notPROBLEM
work and modify
SOLVING
SOLLANO
3. Problem-Solving Strategies
EXAMPLE 1: Apply Polya’s Strategy
Consider the map shown in figure below. Allison wishes
to walk along the streets from point A to point B. How
many direct routes can Allison take?
First Avenue
Ci A
ty

Boulevard
Godiv Borde

Gateway
a Board Walk rs
M
Second Avenue
River Walk

Park Avenue

Boulevard
p Subw

Crest
ay

Starbucks Third Avenue

2
.
Fourth Avenue B 1

PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
3. Problem-Solving Strategies

EXAMPLE 2: Apply Polya’s

Strategy
A baseball team won two out of
their last four games. In how many
different orders could they have two
wins and two losses in four games?

2
2

PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
3. Problem-Solving Strategies
EXAMPLE 3: Apply
Polya’s
Strategy
In a basketball league
consisting of 10 teams,
each team plays each of
the other teams exactly
three times. How many
league games will be
played?
2
3

PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
3. Problem-Solving Strategies

EXAMPLE 4: Apply Polya’s

Strategy
Determine the digit 100 places to
the right of the decimal point in the
decimal representation .

2
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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
 3. Problem-Solving Strategies
EXAMPLE 5: Apply Polya’s
Strategy
In consecutive turns of a
Monopoly game, Stacy first paid
$800 for a hotel. She then lost half
her money when she landed on
Boardwalk. Next, she collected $200
for passing GO. She then lost half her
remaining money when she landed
on Illionois Avenue. Stacy now has
$2,500. How much did she have just
before she purchased the hotel? 2
5

PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
3. Problem-Solving Strategies

EXAMPLE 6: Apply Polya’s

Strategy
The product of the ages, in years, of
three teenagers is 4590. None of the
teens are the same age. What are the
ages of the teenagers?

2
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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
 3. Problem-Solving Strategies

EXAMPLE 7: Solve a
Deceptive
Problem
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? 2
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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
 Have a Great Day 

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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO
Reference:

Aufmann, R. N., Lockwood, J. S., Nation, R.

D. & Clegg, D. K. (2013).
Mathematical Excursions,
Third Edition. CA: Brooks/Cole,
Cengage Learning.

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PROF. ANNABELLE Q.
PROBLEM SOLVING
SOLLANO