GE 4- Mathematics in the Modern World La Carlota City College

Module 4.2
PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES

In these lessons, you will learn to:

1. Identify and describe the different problem solving strategies
2. Solve mathematical problems successfully through the use of appropriate problem solving
strategies.
3. Applied effectively the problem solving strategies for further studies of problem solving.

THE PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES

GUESS AND CHECK
The strategy for the method “Guess and Check” is to guess a solution and then plug
the guess back into the problem to see if you get the correct answer. If the answer is too big
or too small, make another guess that will get you closer to the goal, and
continue guessing until you arrive at the correct solution.

PROBLEM: Each hand in the human body has 27 bones. There are six more bones in your
fingers than in your wrist. There are three less bones in your palm than our wrist. How
many bones in each part of your hand?

Given:
27 bones in the hand
6 more bones in the fingers than wrist
3 less bones in palm than wrist
What is asked? The number of bones in each part of the hand.

Solution:
WRIST ( ? ) FINGERS ( +6) PALM ( -3 ) TOTAL ( 27 )

TRY 5 GUESS 5+ 11 2 18 The guess is too low

TRY 10 GUESS 10 + 16 7 33 The guess is too high
TRY 8 GUESS 8+ 14 5 27 The guess check

FINAL ANSWER: There are 8 bones in the wrist, 14 bones in the fingers and 5 bones
in a palm. The answers make sense because it shows that there are 6 more bones in
the fingers than the wrist and 3 less bones in the palm than the wrist.
GE 4- Mathematics in the Modern World La Carlota City College

PRACTICE:
1. Julia is 4 years older than Lissie, who is 2 years older than Peter. Together their
ages add to 20. Find the age of each person
2. Twice the difference of a number and 3 is 12. Find the number.
3. Mark has 28 coins all in 25 cents, 1peso and 5 peso coins amounting
P36.75. How many 25 cents, 1peso and 5 peso coins does he have?

USE AN EQUATION

An equation is the mathematical representation of those two things which are equal, one on
each side of an 'equals' sign. Equations are useful to solve our daily life problem. Most of the
times we take pre-algebra help to resolve real life problems. Pre-algebra concepts are the
very basics of math.

PROBLEM : Three times the difference of a number and 8 is 8 more than twice of a number.
Find a number.

TRANSLATE: Three times the difference of a number and 8 is 8 more than twice of a
number.
3 (x – 8) = 2x + 8
So, 3 (x – 8) = 2x + 8
3x – 24 = 2x + 8
3x – 2x = 8 + 24
x = 32
FINAL ANSWER: 32 is the number

PRACTICE:
1. The sum of three consecutive even numbers is 66. Find this numbers.
2. Find the measure of the two angles if the other angle is 4 times more than the
measure of another angle and they are supplementary to each other.
3. The perimeter of a rectangular garden is 50 meters. The length of the rectangle 5
meters less than twice the width. Find the length and width of the rectangle.

WORK BACKWARDS

The strategy of working backwards is used to solve problems that include a number of linked
factors or events, where some of the information has not been provided, usually at the beginning
of the problem. To solve these problems it is usually necessary to start with the answer and work
methodically backwards to fill in the missing information.
GE 4- Mathematics in the Modern World La Carlota City College

PROBLEM: Alvin invested a certain amount of money in the bank and the money earned
4% interest in the first year. He added P2,000 to the investment at the end of the first year,
and the whole investment earned 3% interest in the second year. This amounted to P 9,
237.04 at the end of the second year.
How much money Alvin invested at the start of the first year?

Solution:
1. Reversing the increase of 3% ( 2nd year )
P 9, 237.04 ÷ 1.03 % = P 8,968.00
2. Reversing the addition of P 2,000
P 8, 968 – P 2,000 = P 6, 968.00
3. Reversing the increase of 4% ( 1st year )
P 6, 968 ÷ 1.04 % = P 6,700.00

FINAL ANSWER: Alvin invested P 6,700 at the start of the first year.

PRACTICE:
1. John is four years younger than Carmen but Jane is 24 years older than Carmel. If
Jane is 35, how old is John?
2. Lisa baked cupcakes over the weekend. Each day during the week he took four
cakes to school to share with her friends. On Saturday when he counted there
were 24 left. How many had he baked?
3. A student chose a number, multiplied it by 7, then subtracted by 54 from the result,
added 35 and divided by 2 the result is 113. What the number he choose?

LOOK FOR A PATTERN

Look for a Pattern is a strategy in which we look for patterns in the data in order
to solve the problem. We look for items or numbers that are repeated, or a series of events
that repeat.

PROBLEM: Find the sum of all whole numbers between 1 and 200 inclusive.

Solution:
There’s a repetitive pattern if we add the first number to the last and the second
number to the second to the last number etc.
Thus,1 + 200 = 201; 2 + 199 = 201; 3 + 198 = 201 ... etc.
We have 200 numbers if we pair up the numbers we got 100 pairs. Since each pair adds
to 201, we multiply it to 100 pairs. Thus, 201 x 100 = 20,100
FINAL ANSWER: 20, 100 –The sum of all whole numbers between 1 and 200.

PRACTICE:
1. Find the sum of all numbers multiple by 5 between 1 and 50 inclusive.
GE 4- Mathematics in the Modern World La Carlota City College

2. Find the sum of first 50 even positive numbers.

3. Find the difference of the sum of all even numbers between 1-100 and the
sum of all numbers multiple by 5 between1-100.

ELIMINATE POSSIBILITIES

Eliminating Possibilities is a strategy in which students remove possible answers until the
correct answer remains. This is a problem-solving strategy that can be used in basic math
problems or to help solve logic problems. Eliminating possibilities helps students organize
information and evaluate which pieces of information they will use, eliminating the
information that does not fit. It encourages students to consider all options and narrow the
possibilities to reasonable choices.

PROBLEM: Tony is younger than 60 years of age. When you add the digits of his age the
sum is 9. His age lies between two prime numbers. If his age is multiple of 6 how old is he?

Solution:
Tony’s age is divisible by 6 less than 60.
Only 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54 are possible ages.
The sum of the digits is 9:
Only 18, 36 and 54 are possible ages.
His age lies between n eliminate two prime numbers, so we can
eliminate 36 and 54
Only 18 is possible.
FINAL ANSWER: Tony is 18 years of age

PRACTICE:
1. Find the odd number less than 32 that is divisible by 5, and when divided by 4
has a remainder of 3.
2. A number is greater than 5 but less than 20. It is a prime number, when you add
the digits the sum is 4. The number lies between the two even numbers greater
than 10. What is the number?
3. Gillian asked her Uncle Roger how old he was. His Uncle provided her a clue to
guess his age. The clues are: His age is between 19 and 30, A multiple of 3 and
an even number. How old is Uncle Roger?
GE 4- Mathematics in the Modern World La Carlota City College

DRAW A TABLE
The method “Make a Table” or Draw a Table is helpful when solving problems involving
numerical relationships. When data is organized in a table, it is easier to recognize patterns
and relationships between numbers.

PROBLEM: There will be 7 players playing in a tournament. Each player must play once
every other players. How many games will take place in the tournament?

Solution:

PRACTICE:
1. A farmer has three different hen houses. One hen house contains red hens,
the second black hens and third white hens. Every day the red hens lay five
eggs, the black hens lay eight eggs and the white hens lay three eggs. How
many days will it take for the hen to lay a total of 80 eggs.
2. Susan and Marilyn both go to gym each week. Susan goes every three days
but Marilyn goes every fourth day. If they both attend on Monday, when will
be the next be at class together?
3. Josie takes up jogging. On the first week she jogs for 10 minutes per day, on
the second week she jogs for 12 minutes per day. Each week, she wants to
increase her jogging time by 2 minutes per day. If she jogs six days each
week, what will be her total jogging time on the sixth week?

DRAW A DIAGRAM
The draw a diagram or draw a picture strategy is a problem-solving technique in which
students make a visual representation of the problem.
GE 4- Mathematics in the Modern World La Carlota City College

PROBLEM: A worm is trying to escape from a well 10ft deep. The worm climbs 2ft per day,
but each night it slides back 1ft. How many days will the worm take to climb out of the well?

FINAL ANSWER: The worm reaches 10ft and climbs out of the well at the end of the
ninth day.

PRACTICE:

1. A thick dowel stick has to be cut into eight pieces. Each cut takes you 30 seconds. How long
will it take to cut the dowel stick into pieces?
2. Five families are building project homes in an isolated area. Roads will have to be built to
connect each house with all the other houses. How many roads have to be built?
3. Ten objects must be buried in the garden for a treasure hunt. To make this easier the garden
has been divided into an imaginary grid, five squares across by five squares down. To make the
treasure hard to find it is important to hide the objects in different areas. You must make sure that
no more than two objects lie in a line in any direction.

1. There are six swimmers on each relay-race team. The first team member swims 300
meters. Each team members swim 50 meters less than the swimmer before. How many
meters did the last team members swim in the relay race?

2. In dancing competition all contestants started dancing together. After three minutes half
the people were eliminated. During the next ten minutes half of the eliminated. At the 15
minutes mark, half of those still remaining were eliminated, and at the 20 minutes mark, half
of those still remaining were eliminated. In the last 2 minutes, one or more contestants was
eliminated leaving a winner of the competition. How many dancers were there in the
beginning?

3. Nadia takes a ribbon that is 48 inches long and cuts it in 2 pieces. One piece is three
times as long as the other. How long is each piece?

4. The sum of the three consecutive even integers is 252. Find the integers.
GE 4- Mathematics in the Modern World La Carlota City College

5. Rian has 75 coins all in 1peso, 5 peso and 10 peso coins amounting
P 415.How many 1peso, 5 peso and 10 peso coins does he have if the number of
10 peso coins is 5 less than the number of 5 peso coins that is twice of the number
of the 1 peso coins?

6. Pedro’s age is younger than 30 years of age. His age is an even number and it is divisible
by 8.When you divided his age by 3, the remainder is 1.How old is Pedro?

7. The first week of glee club had five students. The second week had seven students. The
third week had ten students and the fourth had fourteen. If this pattern continues, how many
students will show up for the tenth week?

8. The sum of three numbers is 75. The third number is 6 more than the first number that is 3
less than the second number. Find the numbers.

9. A snail finds itself at the bottom of a deep well. The well is 1530 centimeters deep. Each
day the snail struggle up180 centimeters and then stop to rest. While it is resting the snail
slides down 30 centimeters. How long before it reaches the top of the well?

10. Lito invested a certain amount of money in the bank and the money earned 8% interest
in the first year. He added P50,000 to the investment at the end of the first year, and the
whole investment earned 5% interest in the second year. This amounted to P 296,650.20 at
the end of the second year. How much money Lito invested at the start of the first year?

Reference: www.onlinemathlearning.com
www.wtamu.edu/academic/math/algebra/problemsolving
www.study.com/ Problem solving strategies
www. Blake.com.au
GE 4- Mathematics in the Modern World La Carlota City College

Module 4.2
POLYA’S PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGY

Problem Solving can be a problem. Any problem is solved easier with an action plan. Polya’s
4- Step in Problem Solving will be discuss in this lesson to help you develop an action plan
for addressing problems.

George Polya was a mathematician in the 1940s, known as the “Father of Modern
Problem Solving”, did extensive studies and wrote numerous mathematical papers and
books about problem solving. He devised a systematic process that is now referred to by his
name: The Polya’s 4-step Problem Solving Process.
GE 4- Mathematics in the Modern World La Carlota City College

POLYA’S 4 STEP PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS

STEP 1: UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM

This step is a preparation stage. If you are unclear as what to be solve, then you are
probably going to get the wrong results. In order to show an understanding of the problem it
is necessary to read the problem carefully. Sounds simple enough, but some people jump
the gun and try to start solving the problem before they have read the whole problem.

To understand the problem, ask yourself the following question:

1. Do you understand all the words used in stating the problem?
2. What are you asked to find or show?
3. Can you restate the problem in your own words?
4. Can you think of a picture or diagram that might help you understand the problem?
5. Is there enough information to enable you find a solution?

STEP 2: DEVISE A PLAN

This is the thinking stage.

When you devise a plan (translate), you come with a way to solve the problem. Setting up
an equation, draw a diagram, and making chart are all ways that you can go about solving a
problem.
We can use the following possible strategies to solve the problem:
- Guess and Check
- Classifying Information
- Draw a Table
- Use a Formula
- Use an equation
- Work Backwards
- Eliminate the possibilities

- Look for a pattern

STEP 3: CARRY OUT THE PLAN

In this step, you solve or evaluate devise plan in step 2.This step is usually easier than
devising the plan. You should write down your ideas as you work so you don’t forget how
you approached the problem. The approach should be systematic.
In general, all you need is care and patience, given that you have the necessary skills.
Persist with the plan that you have chosen. If continue not to work, discard it and choose
another. Don’t be misled for this is how mathematics is done
GE 4- Mathematics in the Modern World La Carlota City College

STEP 4: LOOK BACK

In this stage you examine the solution obtained. In problem solving it is good to look back or
to check and interpret the result of Step 3. Basically, check to see if you used all information
and that the answer makes sense. If your answer does not check out, make sure that you
write your final answer with the correct labeling.

Example 1:
Problem: Isabel worked 30 hours last week and earned P 3,456.90. Adam worked 25
hours last week and earned P 2,895.25. How much more does Adam earn per hour?

Step 1: Understand the Problem

What is asked? The difference of the amount that Adam and Isabel earned per hour.

Paraphrase :
Isabel… P 3,456.90 for 30 hours (1 week)
Adam … P 2,895.25 for 25 hours (1 week)
What do they each make per hour?

Step 2: Devise a Plan

Divide the weekly salary by the hour worked

This will tell us how much they earned per hour.
Isabel: P 3,456.90 divided by 30 hours
Adam: P 2,895.25 divided by 25 hours
Then, find the difference

Step 3: Carry out the Plan

Solve:
Isabel: P 3,456.90 divided by 30 hours = P 115.23 per hour
Adam: P 2,895.25 divided by 25 hours = P 115.81 per hour
Find the Difference:
P 115.81 – P 115.23 = P 0.58

Step 4: Look Back

Adam: P 115.81 x 25 = P 2,895.25

Isabel: P 115.23 x 30 = P 3,456.90
P 115.81 – P 115.23 = P 0.58

Final answer: Adam earned P 0.58 more per hour

GE 4- Mathematics in the Modern World La Carlota City College

Example 2:
Problem: Thrice of the difference of a number and 20 is 10 more than that
number. Find the number.

Step 1: Understand the problem.

Make sure that you read the question carefully several times.
Since we are looking for a number, we will let

x = a number
3 (x-20) = Thrice of the difference of a number.
X +10 = 10 more than that number.

Step 2: Devise a Plan

Let’s create an equation from the given above.

The equation for twice the difference of a number and 1 is 4 more than that number is: 3 (x
- 20) = x + 10

Step 3: Carry out the Plan

Let’s solve for the equation:

3 ( x – 20 ) = x + 10
3x – 60 = x + 10 (Distribute 3 to the numbers in the Parenthesis)
3x – x = 10 + 60 ( Grouped the number with the same terms)
2X = 70 ( Perform the mathematical operation indicated)
2x/2 = 70/2 ( Divide each terms by 2)
X = 35

Step 4 : Look Back

Let x = 35
3 ( 35 - 20 ) = 35 + 10
3 (15) = 45
45 = 45

If you take thrice the difference of 35 and 20, that is the same as 10 more than 35, so this
does check.

FINAL ANSWER: The number is 6.

Example 3:
Problem: Mary, Peter and Lucy were picking mangoes. Mary picked twice as much
mangoes than Peter. Lucy picked 2 kilograms more than Peter. Together the three of
them picked 62 kilograms of mangoes. How many kilograms did each of them pick?

Step 1: Understand the Problem

GE 4- Mathematics in the Modern World La Carlota City College

Given : Mary picked mangoes twice as much than Peter

Lucy picked 2 kilograms more than Peter

Let X, be the amount of mangoespicked by Peter

Let 2X, the amount of magoes picked by Mary
Let X + 2 , the amount of mangoes picked by Lucy

What is asked? The amount of mangoes in kilograms did Mary, Peter and Lucy picked

Step 2: Devise the Plan

Use an equation to solve the problem:
x + 2x + x + 2 = 62

Step 3: Carry out the Plan

Solve: Find for x

x + 2x +( x + 2) = 62
x + 2x + x + 2 = 62
4x + 2 = 62
4x = 62 – 2
4x = 60
4x /4 = 60/4
x = 15
To illustrate:
X =15 Peter picked 15 kilograms of mangoes
2(15) = 30 Mary picked 30 kilograms which is twice as much of mangoes
picked by Peter
15 + 2 = 17 Lucy picked 17 kilograms of mangoes which is 2 kilograms more than
Peter picked.

Step 4: Look Back

Let x = 15
x + 2x + x + 2 = 62
15 + 2(15) +15+ 2 = 62
15 + 30 + 15 + 2 = 62
15 + 30+17= 62
62 = 62

Final answer: Peter, Mary and Lucy picked 15, 30 and 17 kg respectively.
GE 4- Mathematics in the Modern World La Carlota City College

Let us try more!