CHAPTER 3

Reference: Mathematical Excursions

By: Richard N. Aufmann
Joanne S. Lockwood
Richard D. Nation
Daniel K. Clegg
 Problem Solving

• Two goals of this chapter:

to help you become a better problem solver and
to demonstrate that problem solving can be an enjoyable
experience.
 Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive and deductive reasoning are two fundamental
forms of reasoning for mathematicians.
• Inductive reasoning involves looking for patterns and
making generalizations.
• An example of inductive reasoning is, for example, when
you notice that all the dogs you see around you are black
and white so you make the conclusion that all dogs in the
world are black and white. Can you say for certain that this
conclusion is correct? No, because it is based on just a few
observations.
 Inductive Reasoning
• The type of reasoning that forms a conclusion based on
the examination of specific examples is called inductive
reasoning.
• The conclusion formed by using inductive reasoning is
often called a conjecture, since it may or may not be
correct.
 Inductive Reasoning
• Illustrative Examples:
• Consider the following procedure:
4
a. Pick a number.
4 × 8 = 32
b. Multiply the number by 8,
c. Add 6 to the product
32 + 6 = 38

d. Divide the sum by 2, and

38
= 19
2
e. Subtract 3. 19 − 3 = 16

Complete the procedure then come up with a conjecture.

 Inductive Reasoning
• Inductive reasoning is the process of reaching a general conclusion by examining
specific examples.
Example 1:Use inductive reasoning to predict the next number in each of the
following lists.
a. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, ? Each successive number is 3 larger than the preceding
number. Thus we predict that the next number in the list is
3 larger than 15, which is 18.
b. 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, ?
The first two numbers differ by 2. The second and the
third numbers differ by 3. It appears that the difference
between any two numbers is always 1 more than the
•
preceding difference. Since 10 and 15 differ by 5, we
predict that the next number in the list will be 6 larger
than 15, which is 21.
 Deductive Reasoning
• Another type of reasoning is called deductive reasoning.
Deductive reasoning is distinguished from inductive
reasoning in that it is the process of reaching a conclusion
by applying general principles and procedures. Deductive
reasoning involves making a logical argument, drawing
conclusions, and applying generalizations to specific
situations. For example, once students have developed an
understanding of "triangle," they apply that generalization
to new figures to decide whether or not each is a triangle.
The conclusions reached by this type of reasoning are valid
and can be relied on.
• Illustrative Examples:
1. If a number is divisible by 2, then it must be even. 12 is
divisible by 2. Therefore, 12 is an even number.

2. All Mathematics teachers know how to play Sudoku.

Resty is a Math teacher. Therefore, Resty knows how to play
Sudoku.
 Logic Puzzles
• Logic Puzzles can be solved by deductive reasoning. A
chart that enables us to display the given information in a
visual manner helps in the solution.
• Illustrative Examples:
• Each of four neighbors, Mark, Zen, Linda, and Roy,
has a different occupation (teacher, banker, chef, or
broker).
• From the following clues, determine the occupation of
each neighbor.
 CLUES

1. Zen gets home from work after the banker but before the
broker.
2. Linda, who is the last to get home from work, is not the
teacher.
3. The broker and Linda leave for work at the same time.
4. The banker lives next door to Roy.
 Teacher Banker Chef Broker

Mark x / x x

Zen / x x x

Linda x x / x

Roy x x x /
 Teacher Banker Chef Broker

Mark x / x x

Zen / x x x

Linda x x / x

Roy x x x /
 KenKen Puzzles
• KenKen is an arithmetic-based logic puzzle that was
invented by the Japanese mathematics teacher Tetsuya
Miyamoto in 2004. The noun “ken” has “knowledge”
and “awareness” as synonyms. Hence, KenKen translates
as knowledge squared, or awareness squared.
 Exercises:
• Classify the reasoning employed in the following
arguments as INDUCTIVE or DEDUCTIVE.

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Two
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aredays
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• Use inductive reasoning to predict the next number in each of
the following lists
 Seatwork 1
• Glenn, Gab, and Geian are popular TV personalities. They are now
famous as a game show host, a news anchor and an actor (not
necessarily be respectively). They talk about their time in college,
studying for careers that they never pursued after getting into
television. Their courses are nursing, engineering, and teacher
education (again, not necessarily be respectively). For each
personality, determine their TV job, and the course in which they
studied in college?
Clues:
1. Glenn who wasn’t trained as a teacher, is an actor in the teleserye
“Ang Ilocano”
2. Gab is a news anchor in TB Patrol.
3. Geian never had any ambition to be a nurse.
4. It isn’t the one time student teacher who now hosting the program,
“Your Voice Looks Familiar”
 Assignment 1
• Four married couples belong to a theatre club. The wives'
names are Alice, Barbara, Christa, and Edith. The
husbands' names are Al, Frank, Fred and Ernest. Who
married to whom? Use the following clues to determine
the couples.
a) Al is Edith’s brother.
b) Edith and Fred were once engaged, but “broke up"
when Edith met her present husband.
c) Christa has a sister, but her husband is an only child.
d) Alice is married to Ernest.
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!