LESSON 3:

PROBLEM SOLVING AND

REASONING
Instructor: Ms. Christel M. Belaro
 LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Make use of different types of reasoning to justify
statements and arguments made about mathematics and
mathematical concepts.
2. Write clear and logical proofs.
3. Solve problems involving patterns and recreational
problems following Polya’s four steps.
4. Organize one’s methods and approaches for proving and
solving problems.
 CORE IDEA

“Mathematics is not just

about numbers; much of it
is problem solving and
reasoning.”
 REASONING
Inductive Reasoning - It is the process of making general conclusions based
on specific examples.
Examples:
1. The children in that house yell loudly when they play in the bedroom. I
can hear children yelling in that house. Therefore, the children must be
playing in their bedroom.
2. Jay is showing a big diamond ring to his friend Marc. Jay has told Marc
that he is planning to marry Anne. Jay must be surprising Anne with the
diamond ring tonight.
3. Paolo always leaves for school at 7:00 AM. Paolo is always on time.
Paolo assumes then, that if he leaves at 7:00 AM for school today, he
will be on time.
 REASONING
Deductive Reasoning - It is the process of making specific conclusions
based on general statement.
Examples:
1. All dolphins are mammals. All mammals have kidneys. Therefore, all
dolphins have kidneys.
2. It’s dangerous to drive on icy streets. The streets are icy now, so it
would be dangerous to drive.
3. Cacti are plants and all plants perform photosynthesis. Therefore, cacti
perform photosynthesis.
 REASONING
Deductive Reasoning - It is the process of making specific conclusions
based on general statement.
Examples:
1. All dolphins are mammals. All mammals have kidneys. Therefore, all
dolphins have kidneys.
2. It’s dangerous to drive on icy streets. The streets are icy now, so it
would be dangerous to drive.
3. Cacti are plants and all plants perform photosynthesis. Therefore, cacti
perform photosynthesis.
 REASONING
Consider the data in the table to EARTHQUAKE MAX. TSUNAMI
answer the questions: MAGNITUDE HEIGHT (METERS)
1. If the earthquake 7.5 5
magnitude is 8.5, how high 7.6 9
(in meters) will the tsunami
7.7 13
be?
7.8 17
2. Does tsunami occur when
the earthquake magnitude 7.9 21
is less than 7? Explain your 8.0 25
answer.
8.1 29
8.2 33
8.3 37
 REASONING
Try to answer this:
On the first day of the school, a young girl was found murdered. Police
suspect four male teachers and question them. They were asked what they
were doing at 8:00 A.M.
Mr. Walter: I was driving to school and was late.
Mr. Thomas: I was checking English exam papers.
Mr. Benjamin: I was reading the newspaper.
Mr. Calvin: I was with my wife in my office.
The police arrested the killer. How did the police find the murderer?
 REASONING
Try to answer this:
A man was murdered on one freezing Friday. The police came, they got
explanations of what everyone was doing at the house that day.
The wife was cooking dinner. The maid was dusting the bedroom. The butler
was cleaning the pool. The children were watching TV. Who was the
murderer and why?
 REASONING
Try to answer this:
A man was taking his wife into their local woods and suddenly kills her, he
leaves no evidence. The day after, he gets a call from the police saying come
to the crime scene. The man goes there straight away and gets arrested.
How did the police know it was him?
 INTUITION, PROOF, AND
UNCERTAINTY
The intuition is the ability to understand something instinctively
without the need for conscious reasoning or without having an
actual evidence of it.

Example:
A quadrilateral has opposite sides which are parallel and
equal. A square is a quadrilateral. How many sides does a
square have?
 INTUITION, PROOF, AND
UNCERTAINTY
A mathematical proof is an argument that convinces other
people that something is true.

Example:
How do we prove that a square is a quadrilateral?
Answer:
A quadrilateral is a polygon with 4 sides. Square is a polygon
with 4 sides. Therefore, square is a quadrilateral.
 MATHEMATICS IS A SET OF
PROBLEM-SOLVING TOOLS
Certainty is a conclusion or outcome that is beyond doubt.

Example:
We can show that a square A B

is a quadrilateral by presenting
an illustration.

D C
 POLYA’S 4 STEPS IN PROBLEM
SOLVING
Exercises:
Use inductive reasoning to predict the next number in each of
the following lists:
a. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, ___?
Answer: 30 (add 5)
b. 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, ___?
Answer: 37 (add the next odd number)
 POLYA’S 4 STEPS IN PROBLEM
SOLVING
George Polya (1887-1985)
Polya worked in probability, analysis,
number theory, geometry,
combinatorics, and mathematical
physics. He published the book How to
Solve It which quickly became the most
prized publication. It sold over one
million copies and has been translated
into 17 languages. In this book, he
identifies four basic principles of
problem solving.
 POLYA’S 4 STEPS IN PROBLEM
SOLVING
“It is better to solve one
problem five different
ways, than to solve five
problems one way.”

- George Polya -
 POLYA’S 4 STEPS IN PROBLEM
SOLVING
First Principle: Understand the Problem
Some questions to be asked:
 Do you understand all the words used in stating the problem?
 What are you asked to find or show?
 Can you restate the problem in your own words?
 Can you think of a picture or diagram that might help you understand the
problem?
 Is there enough information to enable you to find a solution?
 POLYA’S 4 STEPS IN PROBLEM
SOLVING
Second Principle: Devise a Plan
Polya mentions that there are many reasonable ways to solve problems. A
partial least of strategies include:
 Guess and check  Look for a pattern
 Make an orderly list  Draw a picture
 Eliminate possibilities  Solve a simpler problem
 Use symmetry  Use a model
 Consider special cases  Work backwards
 Use direct reasoning  Use a formula
 Solve an equation  Be ingenious
 POLYA’S 4 STEPS IN PROBLEM
SOLVING
Third Principle: Carry out a Plan
This step is usually easier than devising a plan. In general, all you need is
care and patience, given you have the necessary skills. Persist with the plan
that you have chosen. If it continues not to work, discard it and choose
another.

Fourth Principle: Look back

Polya mentions that much can be gained by taking time to reflect and look
back at what you have done, what worked, and what didn’t. Doing this will
enable you to predict what strategy to use for future problems.
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Examples:
1. A volleyball team won two out of their four last games. In how many
different orders could they have two wins and two losses in four
games?

P1. Understand the Problem:

There are many different orders. The team may have won two straight games
and lost two (W-W-L-L). Or maybe they lost the first two games and won the
last two (L-L-W-W). Also, consider the other possibilities.
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Examples:
1. A volleyball team won two out of their four last games. In how many
different orders could they have two wins and two losses in four
games?

P2. Devise a plan

Make an organized list of all possible orders.
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Examples:
1. A volleyball team won two out of their four last games. In how many
different orders could they have two wins and two losses in four
games?

P3. Carry out the plan

W-W-L-L, L-L-W-W, W-L-W-L, L-W-L-W, W-L-L-W, L-W-W-L
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Examples:
1. A volleyball team won two out of their four last games. In how many
different orders could they have two wins and two losses in four
games?

P4. Review the solution

The list has no duplicates, and it considers all possibilities. There are 6
orders in which the team can exactly win two out of four games.
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Examples:
2. The product of the age, in years, of the three teenagers is 4,590. None
of the teens are the same age. What are the ages of the teenagers?

P1. Understand the problem

We need to determine three distinct counting numbers from the list, 13, 14,
15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, that have a product of 4,590.
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Examples:
2. The product of the age, in years, of the three teenagers is 4,590. None
of the teens are the same age. What are the ages of the teenagers?

P2. Devise a plan

Guess and check.
𝑥𝑦𝑧 = 4,590
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Examples:
2. The product of the age, in years, of the three teenagers is 4,590. None
of the teens are the same age. What are the ages of the teenagers?

P3. Carry out a plan

If 𝑥 = 15, 𝑦 = 17, and 𝑧 = 18, then 𝑥𝑦𝑧 = 4590.
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Examples:
2. The product of the age, in years, of the three teenagers is 4,590. None
of the teens are the same age. What are the ages of the teenagers?

P4. Review the solution

We may have tried multiplying different numbers from 13-19. With this,
there is only one possibility that the product of 3 ages would be 4,590. That
is, we multiply 15, 17, and 18.
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Examples:
3. A hat and a jacket cost Php 1,000.00 The jacket costs Php 200.00
more than the hat. What are the costs of the hat and jacket,
respectively?
PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Examples:
3. A hat and a jacket cost Php
1,000.00 The jacket costs
Php 200.00 more than the
hat. What are the costs of
the hat and jacket,
respectively?
Solution:
We may use algebraic solution to
determine the cost of hat and jacket,
respectively.
Let 𝑥 = cost of hat; 𝑦 = cost of jacket
Eq. 1: 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 1,000
Eq. 2: 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 200
PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Examples:
3. A hat and a jacket cost Php
1,000.00 The jacket costs
Php 200.00 more than the
hat. What are the costs of
the hat and jacket,
respectively?
Solution:
Eq. 1: 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 1,000
Eq. 2: 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 200
Substitute the value of 𝑦 in Eq. 2 to 𝑦
in Eq. 1:
𝑥 + 𝑥 + 200 = 1,000
2𝑥 + 200 = 1,000
2𝑥 = 1,000 − 200
2𝑥 = 800
𝒙 = 𝟒𝟎𝟎
PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Examples:
3. A hat and a jacket cost Php
1,000.00 The jacket costs
Php 200.00 more than the
hat. What are the costs of
the hat and jacket,
respectively?
Solution:
Eq. 1: 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 1,000
Eq. 2: 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 200
Using Eq. 2 to solve for the value of 𝑦:
𝑦 = 𝑥 + 200
𝑦 = 400 + 200
𝒚 = 𝟔𝟎𝟎
To check:
Eq. 1: 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 1,000
400 + 600 = 1,000
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Examples:
3. A hat and a jacket cost Php 1,000.00 The jacket costs Php 200.00
more than the hat. What are the costs of the hat and jacket,
respectively?

Final answer:
The cost of the hat is Php 400.00 while the cost of the jacket is Php 600.00
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Try This:
Use the Polya’s 4-steps to solve this problem:

A volleyball league consists of 6 teams who will play each of the other teams
exactly three times. How many league games will be played?
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Try This:
A volleyball league consists of 6 teams who will play each of the other teams
exactly three times. How many league games will be played?
Solution/Answer:
In this given word problem, we may use the concept of combination as our
solution.
Combination, in probability, is a way of selecting items from a collection
where order of selection does not matter.
The formula is:
𝑛 𝑛!
𝐶𝑟 = 𝑟! 𝑛−𝑟 !, where 𝑛 is the total number of given and 𝑟 is the number of
given that are chosen/selected.
 PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Try This:
A volleyball league consists of 6 teams who will play each of the other teams
exactly three times. How many league games will be played?
Solution/Answer:
𝑛 = 6 and 𝑟 = 2
These 6 teams will play each of the other teams
Using combination, exactly 3 times.
𝑛! 6! 6!
𝑛
𝐶𝑟 = = = To get the final answer, we have:
𝑟! 𝑛 − 𝑟 ! 2! 6 − 2 ! 2! 4! 𝟏𝟓 × 𝟑 = 𝟒𝟓
6∙5∙4∙3∙2∙1 6∙5 30
= 2∙1(4∙3∙2∙1) = 2∙1 = = 15
2 Final answer:
There will be 45 league games that will be
played.
 SOLVING MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS
INVOLVING PATTERNS
Examples:
Find the next term(s) in the sequence.
1. 5, 50, 500, 5000, ______ 50000
2. g _____
a, 6, c, 12, e, 18, _____, 24
3.
 SOLVING MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS
INVOLVING PATTERNS
Examples:
Find the next term(s) in the sequence.
4.

C
 SOLVING MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS
INVOLVING PATTERNS
Examples:
Find the next term(s) in the sequence.
Answer: C
4. Justification:
• Each step, the shaded square
moves 3 squares clockwise round
the edge of the figure.
• Each step, the cross hatching
moves 1 square counterclockwise
round the edge of the figure.
• The circle (which starts behind the
shaded square in the upper figure),
moves 1 square left to right,
starting again at the left of the
figure when it drops down a row.
 SOLVING MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS
INVOLVING PATTERNS
Examples:
Find the next term(s) in the sequence.
5.

B
 SOLVING MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS
INVOLVING PATTERNS
Examples:
Find the next term(s) in the sequence.
5. Answer: C
Justification:
• Each step, the shaded square
moves 3 squares clockwise round
the edge of the figure.
• Each step, the cross hatching
moves 1 square counterclockwise
round the edge of the figure.
• The circle (which starts behind the
shaded square in the upper figure),
moves 1 square left to right,
starting again at the left of the
figure when it drops down a row.
 SOLVING MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS
INVOLVING PATTERNS
An ordered list of numbers such as
5, 14, 27, 44, 65, …
is called a sequence. The numbers in a sequence that are separated by commas are the
terms of the sequence.
In the above sequence, 5 is the first term, 14 is the second term, 27 is the third term, 44 is
the fourth term, and 65 is the fifth term.
The three dots “…” indicate that the sequence continues beyond 65, which was the last
written term.
 MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS
INVOLVING PATTERNS
5, 14, 27, 44, 65, …
It is customary to use to use the subscript notation 𝑎𝑛 to designate the nth term of the
sequence. That is,
𝑎1 represents the first term of a sequence
𝑎2 represents the first term of a sequence
𝑎3 represents the first term of a sequence
.
.
.
𝑎𝑛 represents the first term of a sequence
In the sequence 2, 7, 24, 59, 118, 207, …
𝑎1 = 2, 𝑎2 = 7, 𝑎3 = 24, 𝑎4 = 59, 𝑎5 = 118, and 𝑎6 = 207
 SOLVING MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS
INVOLVING PATTERNS
Examples:
1. In the sequence 1, 7, 17, 31, 49, 71, …, what is 𝑎7 ?
2. In the sequence 10, 10, 12, 16, 22, …, what is 𝑎8 ?
3. Given the sequence below, how many blocks will there be in 𝑎6 ?
 SOLVING RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS
USING MATHEMATICS
Examples:
1. Each of four neighbors Ana, Ben, Cora, and Dong, has a different occupation (editor,
banker, chef, or dentist). From the following clues, determine the occupation of each
neighbor.
a. Ben gets home from work after the banker but before the dentist.
b. Cora, who is the last to get home from work, is not the editor.
c. The dentist and Cora leave for work at the same time.
d. The banker lives next door to Dong.
 SOLVING RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS
USING MATHEMATICS
1. Each of four neighbors Ana, Ben, Cora,
and Dong, has a different occupation
(editor, banker, chef, or dentist). From
the following clues, determine the EDITOR BANKER CHEF DENTIST
occupation of each neighbor.
a. Ben gets home from work after the ANA
banker but before the dentist.
b. Cora, who is the last to get home from BEN
work, is not the editor.
CORA
c. The dentist and Cora leave for work at
the same time. DONG
d. The banker lives next door to Dong.
 SOLVING RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS
USING MATHEMATICS
1. Each of four neighbors Ana, Ben, Cora, EDITOR BANKER CHEF DENTIST
and Dong, has a different occupation
(editor, banker, chef, or dentist). From
the following clues, determine the ANA    
occupation of each neighbor.
BEN    
a. Ben gets home from work after the
banker but before the dentist.
CORA    
b. Cora, who is the last to get home from
work, is not the editor. DONG    
c. The dentist and Cora leave for work at
the same time. Answer:
d. The banker lives next door to Dong. Ana is the banker, Ben is the editor, Cora is
the chef, and Dong is the dentist.
 SOLVING RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS
USING MATHEMATICS
Examples:
2. Leni, Bongbong, Ping, and Isko were recently elected as the new class officers
(President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer) of the freshmen class at the city
college. From the following clues, determine which position each holds.
a. Isko is younger than the president but older than the treasurer.
b. Leni and the secretary are both the same age, and they are the youngest members of
the group.
c. Ping and the secretary are next-door neighbors.
 SOLVING RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS
USING MATHEMATICS
2. Leni, Bongbong, Ping, and Isko were PRESIDENT
VICE
SECRETARY TREASURER
recently elected as the new class PRESIDENT

officers (President, Vice President,

Secretary and Treasurer) of the LENI
freshmen class at the city college. From
the following clues, determine which BONGBONG

position each holds.

PING
a. Isko is younger than the president but
older than the treasurer.
ISKO
b. Leni and the secretary are both the
same age, and they are the youngest
members of the group.
c. Ping and the secretary are next-door
neighbors.
 SOLVING RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS
USING MATHEMATICS
2. Leni, Bongbong, Ping, and Isko were PRESIDENT
VICE
SECRETARY TREASURER
recently elected as the new class PRESIDENT

officers (President, Vice President,

Secretary and Treasurer) of the LENI    
freshmen class at the city college. From
the following clues, determine which BONGBONG    
position each holds.
PING    
a. Isko is younger than the president but
older than the treasurer.
ISKO    
b. Leni and the secretary are both the
same age, and they are the youngest
members of the group. Answer:
Ping is the president, Isko is the VP, Bongbong
c. Ping and the secretary are next-door
neighbors. is the secretary and Leni is the treasurer.
 SOLVING RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS
USING MATHEMATICS
Try this:
3. Of 5 players in a basketball team, 2 are guards, 2 are forwards, and 1 is center.
LeBron, Curry and Durant play on a team. One plays the center, one plays forward,
and one plays guard. If Curry and the center each scored more than Durant, and Curry
is not forward, find out who plays what position.

CENTER FORWARD GUARD

LEBRON

CURRY

DURANT
 SOLVING RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS
USING MATHEMATICS
Try this:
3. Of 5 players in a basketball team, 2 are guards, 2 are forwards, and 1 is center.
LeBron, Curry and Durant play on a team. One plays the center, one plays forward,
and one plays guard. If Curry and the center each scored more than Durant, and Curry
is not forward, find out who plays what position.

CENTER FORWARD GUARD Answer:

LeBron is the Center
LEBRON   
player, Curry is the
forward player, and
CURRY   
Durant is the guard.
DURANT   
 SOLVING RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS
USING MATHEMATICS
Try this:
4.
 SOLVING RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS
USING MATHEMATICS
Try this:
5.
 SOLVING RECREATIONAL PROBLEMS
USING MATHEMATICS
Try this:
6.