Notes Eliminating Possibilities

Eliminating possibilities is a powerful problem solving strategy. It is

somewhat of an indirect method. In other words, we dont immediately
go directly for the solution, but determine what it
_______________________________________.
We use _________________________ in the same manner as Sherlock
Holmes did to solve mysteries. In the book Sign of Four Sherlock
Holmes says: once you have eliminated the
_________________________________, then whatever is left, no matter how
improbable, must be the ___________________________________.
Even when we cannot figure out how to get to the exact answer,
_______________________________________________ can help us make a
better, educated guess.
Eliminating Possibilities Example
Lets say that we were playing a 20-questions type math game where I
could answer only yes or no to any question you asked. In this
game I have picked a number between 1 and 100. How could we use
the strategy of eliminating possibilities along with logic to determine
the value of the number?
Each question you ask should be designed to eliminate possibilities.
Which of the following would be the most effective first question?
1. Is the number 29?
2. Is the number even?
3. Is the number greater than 50?
Between 1 and 100 there are _____________ possible whole numbers.
Question 1 eliminates one possibility. You have a ___________% chance
of guessing correctly, but this will not be an effective or efficient
approach.
Questions 2 and 3 both eliminate ________________% of the possible
numbers. These are _____________________first questions. Combined,
they will eliminate _____________% of the possibilities.
Notice that questions 2 and 3 have __________________% chance of
giving you the actual solution but they help you focus your search.
That is the effectiveness and power of eliminating possibilities.

Example Problem Pennys Dimes Part II

Pennys favorite coin is the dime, as we saw when we were studying
systematic lists. Since we worked the problem about Penny and her
dimes, she has spent some of her dimes and acquired some more.
She did not keep track of how many she has. She knows that it less
than 100.
One day she was arranging them in piles on her desk in different ways.
The results were peculiar.
1.
2.
3.
4.

When
When
When
When

she
she
she
she

put
put
put
put

them
them
them
them

into piles of 2 there was 1 left over.

into piles of 3 there was 1 left over.
in piles of 4 there was 1 left over.
in piles of 5 there were none left over.

How many dimes does Penny have?

Try This Problem on Your Own and Return to the Video When
Complete. Use the space below. Use additional paper if
necessary.
Solution:

Penny has __________dimes

Perhaps you used the ideas below as part of your logic:
1. The clue within the problem statement says that she has less
than 100 dimes, so we need not consider any number above
______________.
2. We need not consider _____________________ values since Penny
cannot have negative dimes.
3. We need not consider ___________________ because it says she
was stacking dimes. __________________dimes cannot be stacked.
Final Thoughts
Eliminating possibilities falls into the category of
____________________ information. After organizing the information
given in a problem, you can eliminate possibilities. Again, to solve a
problem, _____________________ strategies are often used.
You use the eliminating possibilities strategy in your every day life.
For example, when you decide what you want for breakfast, what to
do after school or what you will write about for an essay you must
eliminate possibilities.