PROBLEM SOLVING AND

REASONING
MAT 100
Manila Adventist College
Gezelle Q. Abellanosa, Maed-Math
 ▪ 1. The GSW basketball
ACTIVITY 1 team won three out of their
last six games. In how
SOLVE THE many different orders could
GIVEN they have attained three
PROBLEM:
wins and three losses in six
games?
 ▪ 1. UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM:
▪ There are many different ways. GSW may have won three
straight wins and three losses (WWWLLL), or maybe they
lost in the first three games and won in the last three games
(LLLWWW). Likewise, there are other several orders.
▪ 2. DEVISE A PLAN
▪ One can organize a list of all the possibilities making sure
SOLUTION: that no entry will be duplicated.
▪ 3. CARRY OUT THE PLAN
▪ Three Ws must be present in every entry without duplication.
4. REVIEW THE SOLUTION The strategy is to start the list with three consecutive wins.
The list is organized and has no Next in the list are all the entries starting with two
duplicates, so there are 16 different consecutive wins, then next in the list are all the entries
orders in which a basketball team can
win exactly three out of six games.
starting with a single win.
 ▪ Following this pattern, consider starting
with three consecutive losses and so on.
Here are the different orders.
▪ 1. WWWLLL 9. LLLWWW
▪ 2. WWLWLL 10. LLWLWW
▪ 3. WWLLWL 11. LLWWLW
SOLUTION: ▪ 4. WWLLLW 12. LLWWWL
▪ 5. WLLLWW 13. LWWWLL
▪ 6. WLLWWL 14. LWWLLW
▪ 7. WLWWLL 15. LWLLWW
▪ 8. WLWLWL 16. LWLWLW
 ▪ 2. Two times the sum
ACTIVITY 1
of a number and 3 is
SOLVE THE equal to thrice the
GIVEN
PROBLEM: number plus 4. Find
the number.

SOLUTION:
4. REVIEW THE SOLUTION
If we take two times the sum of 2 and
3, that is the same as thrice the
number 2 plus 4 which 10, so this
does check. Thus, the number is 2.
▪ 1. UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM:
▪ We need to make sure that we have read the question
carefully several times. Since we are looking for a number,
we will let x be a number.
▪ 2. DEVISE A PLAN
▪ We will translate the problem mathematically. Two times the
sum of a number and 3 is equal to thrice the number plus 4.
2 (x+3) = 3x + 4
▪ 3. CARRY OUT THE PLAN
▪ We solve for the value of x, algebraically.
▪ 2(x+3) = 3x+4
▪ 2x+6 = 3x+4
▪ 3x-2x= 6-4
▪ X=2
 ▪ 3. Two numbers are in
SOLVE THE the ratio 3:8 and their
GIVEN
PROBLEM: sum is 77. What are the
numbers?
 ▪ Algebraic Method:
▪ Let 3x = the first number
▪ Then 8x= the second number
▪ Equation: 3x+8x = 77 The sum of the two
numbers is 77
SOLUTION: ▪ 11x= 77 Combine like terms
▪ x= 7 Divide both sides by
11
▪ The numbers are 3x= 3 (7)= 21 and 8(7) =56
▪ 21 + 56 = 77
 ▪ 4. Mrs. Zamora is 36
SOLVE THE
years old and her son is
GIVEN 4. When will the mother
PROBLEM:
be thrice as old as her
son?
 ▪ Let x= the number of years that the mother will be
thrice as old as her son.
▪ Then, 36 + x= mother’s age in x years,
▪ And 4 + x= son’s age in x years.

Family Age now Future age (x

years from now
Mother 36 36 + x
SOLUTION: Son 4 4+x

Equation: In x years:
▪ 36 + x= 3(4+x) Proof: Mother’s age in 12

▪ 36 + x = 12 +3x years: 36 + 12=48

▪ 2x = 24; x=12 Son’s age: 4 + 12 = 16.
 ▪ GEORGE POLYA (1887-1985)
▪ Was a mathematics educator who strongly believed that
the skill of problem solving can be taught.

▪ Known as the Father of Problem-Solving among

mathematicians

POLYA’S ▪ In his book, How to Solve It he writes, “A great discovery

solves a great problem but there is a grain discovery in
PROBLEM- the solution of any problem. Your problem may be
SOLVING modest; but if it challenges your curiosity and brings into
play your inventive faculties, and if you solve it by your
STRATEGY own means, you may experience the tension and enjoy
the triumph of discovery.”
▪ He developed a process known as Polya’s Four Steps in
Problem Solving- this process addressed the difficulty of
students in problem solving.
 ▪ TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM, WE
MIGHT CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

▪ WHAT IS THE GOAL?

▪ WHAT IS BEING ASKED?
▪ WHAT IS THE CONDITION?
1.
▪ WHAT SORT OF PROBLEM IS IT?
UNDERSTANDIN
▪ WHAT IS KNOWN OR UNKNOWN?
G THE
▪ IS THERE ENOUGH INFORMATION?
PROBLEM
▪ CAN YOU DRAW A FIGURE TO ILLUSTRATE THE
PROBLEM?

▪ IS THERE A WAY TO RESTATE THE PROBLEM? IN

YOUR OWN WORDS?
 ▪ DEVISING A PLAN (TRANSLATING) IS A WAY TO SOLVE
THE PROBLEM BY PICTURING HOW WE ARE GOING TO
ATTACK THE PROBLEM.

▪ ACT IT OUT.
▪ BE SYSTEMATIC.
▪ WORK BACKWARDS.
▪ CONSIDER SPECIAL CASES.
2. DEVISE A ▪ ELIMINATE POSSIBILITIES.
PLAN ▪ PERFORM AN EXPERIMENT.
▪ DRAW A PICTURE/ DIAGRAM.
▪ MAKE A LIST OR TABLE/ CHART.
▪ USE A VARIABLE, SUCH AS X.
▪ ETC.
 ▪ IN CARRYING OUT THE PLAN (SOLVE), WE NEED TO
EXECUTE THE EQUATION WE CAME UP IN STEP 2.

▪ BE PATIENT
▪ WORK CAREFULLY
▪ MODIFY THE PLAN OR TRY A NEW PLAN
▪ KEEP TRYING UNTIL SOMETHING WORKS
3. CARRY OUT
▪ TRY ANOTHER STRATEGY IF THE FIRST ONE ISN’T
THE PLAN WORKING

▪ KEEP A COMPLETE AND ACCURATE RECORD OF

YOUR WORK

▪ BE DETERMINED AND DON’T GET DISCOURAGED IF

THE PLAN DOES NOT WORK IMMEDIATELY.
 ▪ THIS STEP HELPS IN IDENTIFYING IF THERE IS A
MISTAKE IN THE SOLUTION. IT IS TIME TO REFLECT
AND LOOK BACK AT WHAT IS DONE, WHAT
WORKED, AND WHAT DIDN’T.

▪ LOOK FOR AN EASIER SOLUTION.

▪ DOES THE ANSWER MAKE SENSE?
▪ CHECK THE RESULTS IN THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM.
4. LOOK BACK ▪ INTERPRET THE SOLUTION WITH THE FACTS OF
THE PROBLEM

▪ RECHECK ANY COMPUTATIONS INVOLVED IN THE

SOLUTION.

▪ ENSURE THE CONSISTENCY OF THE SOLUTION IN

THE CONTEXT OF THE PROBLEM.