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3.MMW Module 3
3.MMW Module 3
Having spent six (6) years in high school, you may have done some reasoning in
Math, Science, or even Social Science subjects which take on a pattern. Most
occupations requires good problem – solving skills. For example, architects,
engineers must solve complicated problems as they design and construct modern
building s that are aesthetically pleasing, functional and meet stringent safety
requirements.
This module aims to help you become a better problem solver and to demonstrate
that problem solving can be an enjoyable experience.
Lesson Content
1. Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
2. Intuition Proofs and Certainty
3. Polya’s Four Step in Problem Solving
4. Problem Solving Strategies
5. Mathematical Problems Involving Patterns
Learning Competencies
After completing the module, the learner should be able to:
Motivation Question:
One problem that many have enjoyed is the Monty Hall problem, which is stated
as follows. The grand prize in Let’s Make a Deal is behind one of the three doors. Less
desirable prizes (for instance, a goat and a box of candy) are behind the other two
doors. You select one of the doors, say door 1. Monty Hall reveals one of the less
desirable prizes behind one of the other doors. You are then given the opportunity either
to stay with your original choice or to choose the remaining closed door. What do you
think? Do you have a better chance of winning the grand prize by switching to the other
closed door or staying with your original choice?
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Inductive Reasoning
Inductive Reasoning is the process of reaching a general conclusion by examining specific
examples.
Example 1:
1 is an odd number.
11 is an odd number.
21 is an odd number.
Therefore, all number ending with 1 are odd numbers.
Example 2:
Essay test is difficult.
Problem Solving test is difficult.
Therefore, all tests are difficult.
Example 3:
Mark is a Science teacher.
Mark is bald.
Therefore, all science teachers are bald.
Solution:
a. Each of the successive number is 3 larger than the preceding number.
Thus we predict the next number in the list is 3 larger than 15 which is
18.
b. The first two number differ by 2. The second and third number differs
by 3. It appears that the difference between two numbers that the
difference between any two numbers is always 1 more than the
preceding difference. Since 10 and 15 differ by 5, we predict the next
number in the list will be 6 larger than 15 which is 21.
Consider the following procedure. Pick a number. Multiply the number by 8, add
6 to the product, divide the sum by 2 and subtract 3.
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GE 1 Mathematics in Modern World
Complete the above procedure for several different numbers. Use inductive
reasoning to make a conjecture about the relationship between the size of the
resulting number and the original number.
Solution:
Suppose we pick 5 as our original number. Then the procedure would produce
the following results:
Original Number: 5
Multiply by 8: 5 x 8 = 40
Add 6: 40 + 6 = 46
Divide by 2: 46 ÷ 2 = 23
Subtract 3: 23 – 3 = 20
We started with 5 and followed the procedure to produce 20. Starting with 6 as
our original number produces a final result of 24. Starting with 10 produces a
final result of 20. Starting with 100 produces a final result of 400. In each of
these cases the resulting number is four times the original number.
We conjecture that following the given procedure produces a number that is
four times the original number.
Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642) used inductive reasoning to discover that the time
required for a pendulum to complete a swing, called the period of the pendulum
depends on the length of the pendulum. Galileo did not have a clock, so he
measured the periods of pendulum in “heartbeats”. The following table shows
some results obtained for pendulums of various lengths. For the sake of
convenience, a length of 10 inches has been designated as 1 unit.
Use the data in table above and inductive reasoning to answer each of the
following questions.
Solution:
a. In the table, each pendulum has a period that is the square root of its length.
Thus we conjecture that a pendulum with a length of 49 units will have a period
of 7 heartbeats.
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In items # 1 – 5, use inductive reasoning ti predict the next number in each list.
1. 4,8,12,16,20,24,?
2. 3, 5, 9, 15, 23, 33, ?
3. 80, 70, 61, 53, 46, 40, ?
3 5 7 9 11 13
4. , , , , , , ?
5 7 9 11 13 15
5. 1, 5, 12, 22, 35, ?
6. The sum of any tow even counting numbers is always an even counting
number.
7. Pick any number. Multiply the number by 6. Add 8 to the product. Divide the
sum by 2. Subtract 4 from the quotient. The resulting number is twice the original
number.
Example 1:
All birds have feathers.
Ducks are birds.
Therefore, ducks have feathers.
Example 2:
All sick won’t be able to go to work.
Christopher is sick.
Therefore, Christopher won’t be able to go to work.
Example 3:
All Science teachers are bald.
Mark is bald.
Therefore, Mark is a science teacher.
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GE 1 Mathematics in Modern World
Use deductive reasoning to show that the following procedure produces a number
that is four times the original number.
Procedure: Pick a number. Multiply the number by 8, and add 6 to the product,
divide the sum by 2 and subtract 3.
Solution:
Let n represent the original number.
We started with n and ended with 4n. The procedure given in this example
produces a number that is four times the original number.
1. If the sum of two counting numbers is even, then the product of the two counting
numbers is an even counting number.
2. If the product of two counting numbers is even counting number, then both of the
counting numbers are even counting numbers.
3. Use deductive reasoning to show that the following procedure always produce
the number 5.
Procedure: Pick a number. Add 4 to the number and multiply the sum by 3.
Subtract 7 and then decrease this difference by the triple of the original number.
4. Use deductive reasoning to show that the following procedure always produce a
number that is equal to the original number.
Procedure: Pick a number multiply the number by 6 and add 8. Divide the sum
by 2, subtract twice the original number, and subtract 4.
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a. During the past 10 years, a tree has produced plums every other year. Last year
the tree, did not produce plums, so this year the tree will produce plums.
b. All home improvements cost more than the estimate. The contractor estimated
that my home improvement will cost ₱ 250, 000.00. Thus my home improvement
will cost more than ₱ 250, 000.00.
Solution:
a. All John Grisham novels are worth reading. The novel The Runaway Jury is a John
Grisham novel. Thus The Runaway Jury is worth reading.
b. I know I will win in a jackpot on this slot machine in the next 10 tries, because it has
not paid out any money during the last 45 tries.
Intuitive is counterpart of rigorous. Being rigorous is not completely clear and never
gives precise meaning. It can be said that intuitive means lacking in rigor, yet the
concept of rigor is defined intuitively and not rigorously. Being intuitive means being
visual just like geometry differs from rigorous geometry in two ways.
already proven. In principle, a proof can use axioms which are denoted as self –
evident or assumed statements along with accepted rules of inference. Axioms may
be served as conditions that must be met before the statement applies. Proofs are
examples of exhaustive deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning. A
mathematical proof demonstrates that a certain statement is always true in all
possible cases. An unproved proposition that is believed to be true is known as a
conjecture.
If one has a conjecture, the only way that it can safely be sure that it is true, is by
presenting a valid mathematical proof. Being able to write down a valid proof may
indicate that one has a thorough understanding of the problem. A mathematician
that tries to prove something, may gain a great deal of understanding and
knowledge even if his efforts to prove that conjecture will end with failure.
We know that the need for certainty is inherited from the ancient past, and is
religiously motivated, its validity is dependent of its history and its motivation.
Mathematics has its standard point of view that it provides certainty. When a
mathematical knowledge is correctly formulated, it is forever beyond error and
correction.
George Polya (1887 – 1985) was a mathematics educator who strongly believed
that the skill of problem solving can be taught. He developed a framework known as
Polya’s Four Steps in Problem Solving. This process addressed the difficulty of the
students in problem solving.
Mathematical Version of
Original Problem Translate
the Problem
Solve
Check
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In carrying out the plan (solve), we need to execute the equation we came up in
step 2. The main key is to be patient and careful, even if we have necessary skills.
• Be patient
• Work carefully
• Modify the plan or try a new plan
• Keep trying until something works
• Implement the strategy and strategies in step 2.
• Try another strategy if the first one isn’t working.
• Keep a complete and accurate record of your work.
• Be determined and don’t get discouraged if the plan does not
work immediately.
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GE 1 Mathematics in Modern World
Examples of problem solving strategies using the Polya’s four steps in problem
solving.
Example 1:
Solution:
There are many different orders to win the championships. The team may
have won three straight games (WWW) or maybe they could lose the first
two games and won the last three games (LLWWW). There are also
other possibilities such as WWLW, WLWW, WLWLW.
Make an organized list of all possible orders and ensure that each of the
different orders is accounted for only once.
Each entry in the list must contain three Ws and may contain one or two
Ls. Use a strategy to each order. One strategy is to start to write Ws,
then write L if it is not possible to write W. this strategy produces ten (10)
different orders shown below,
1. WWW
2. WWLW
3. WWLLW
4. WLWW
5. WLLWW
6. WLWLW
7. LWWW
8. LWWLW
9. LWLWW
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10. LLWWW
Step 4: Look Back
Example 2:
Two times the sum of a number and three is equal to thrice the number plus
four.
Solution:
We have 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.
We will translate the problem mathematically. Two times the sum of a number
and three is equal to thrice the number plus four.
2( x + 3) = 3x + 4
2( x + 3) = 3x + 4
2x + 6 = 3x + 4
3x – 2x = 6 – 4
x=2
If we take two times the sum of 2 and 3, that is the same as thrice the number 2
plus 4, which is 10, so this does check. Thus the number is 2.
Example 3:
If the length of the top of a rectangle is 15 inches more than its width, and the
area is 1,350 square inches, find the dimensions of the table.
Solution:
We are looking for the length and the width of the rectangular table; and we will
let l be the length of the table and w be the width. It is indicated in the problem
that the length is 15 inched longer than the width ( l = w + 15)
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GE 1 Mathematics in Modern World
1,350 = lw
1,350 = (w + 15)w
w + 45 = 0 w - 30 = 0
w = - 45 w = 30
If the width of the rectangle is 30 inches and the length is 15 inches longer, then
the width is 45 inches. The area of a rectangle is A = lw = 30(45) = 1,350 square
inches. Thus the width is 30 inches and the length is 45 inches.
A baseball team won two out of their last four games. In how many different
orders could they have two wins and two losses in four games?
the domain of the function consists of the first n positive integers only, the
sequence is a finite sequence.
Example 1
Identify whether the following is finite or infinite sequence.
a. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
b. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 Finite Sequence
c. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15
d. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, …
e. 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, … Infinite Sequence
f. 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, …
A general sequence a1, a2, a3, a4, …, an – 1, an,…having the first term a1, the
second term a2, the third term a3, and the nth term, also called the general term
of the sequence, is an.
Example 2
Write the first three terms of the sequence whose nth term is given by the
formula 𝑎𝑛 = 3𝑛 + 1.
Solution:
𝑎𝑛 = 3𝑛 + 1.
𝑎1 = 3(1) + 1 = 3 + 1 = 4 replace n by 1
𝑎2 = 3(2) + 1 = 6 + 1 = 7 replace n by 2
𝑎3 = 3(3) + 1 = 9 + 1 = 10 replace n by 3
Thus, the first three terms of the sequence are 4, 7, and 10.
The difference table shows the difference between successive terms of the
sequence. The difference in the rows may be the ‘first, second and third
differences. In the first differences, each number in the first row of the table is
the difference between the closest numbers just above it. If the differences are
not the same, compute the successive differences of the first differences (called
the second and third difference)
Example 3
Construct the difference table to predict the next term of each sequence.
a. 3, 7, 11, 15 ,19, …
b. 1, 4, 9, 17, 28, ….
c. 6, 9, 14, 26, 50, 91, …
Solution:
a. 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, ….
Sequence: 3 7 11 15 19 23
First Difference: 4 4 4 4 4
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GE 1 Mathematics in Modern World
b. 1, 4, 9, 17, 28, …
Sequence: 1 4 9 17 28 42
First Difference: 3 5 8 11 14
Second Difference: 3 3 3 3
Sequence: 6 9 14 26 50 91 154
First Difference: 3 5 12 24 41 63
Second Difference: 2 7 12 17 22
Third Difference: 5 5 5 5
Example 4
Determine the nth term formula for the following polygonal numbers in the nth
figure: (a) triangular number (b) square number (c) pentagonal number, and (d)
hexagonal number.
Solution:
n=1 1
n=2 1+2=3
n=3 1+2+3=6
n=4 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10
n=5 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 = 15
n=6 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 = 21
1
which can be generalized as 𝑇𝑛 = 1 + 2 + 3 + ⋯ + (𝑛 − 1) + 𝑛 = (𝑛2 + 𝑛)
2
Expanding the triangular number sequence: 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, 28, 36, 45, 55,
….
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For Instructional Purposes Only * 1st Semester AY 2021 - 2022
n=1 12 = 1
n=2 22 = 4
n=3 32 = 9
n=4 42 = 16
n=5 52 = 25
n=6 62 = 36
1
which can be generalized as 𝑆𝑛 = (2𝑛2 − 0𝑛) = 𝑛2
2
Expanding the square number sequence: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100, ….
n=1 1
n=2 1+4=5
n=3 1 + 4 + 7 = 12
n=4 1 + 4 + 7 + 10 = 22
n=5 1 + 4 + 7 + 10 + 13 = 35
n=6 1 + 4 + 7 + 10 + 13 + 16 = 51
1
which can be generalized as 𝑃𝑛 = (3𝑛2 − 𝑛)
2
Expanding the hexagonal number sequence: 1, 5, 12, 22, 35, 51, 70, 90, 117,
145 ,..
n=1 1
n=2 1+5=6
n=3 1 + 5 + 9 = 15
n=4 1 + 5 + 9+ 13 = 28
n=5 1 + 5 + 9+ 13 + 17 = 45
n=6 1 + 5 + 9+ 13 + 17 + 21 = 66
1
which can be generalized as 𝐻𝑛 = (4𝑛2 − 2𝑛) = 2𝑛2 − 𝑛
2
Expanding the hexagonal number sequence: 1, 6, 15, 28, 45, 66, 91, 120, 153,
190 ….
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GE 1 Mathematics in Modern World
Example 5
A diagonal of a polygon is a line segment that connects vertices (corners) of the
polygon. Following are polygons: triangle, quadrilateral, pentagon, and hexagon.
Figure 3.3
Solution:
The sequence of the diagonals is shown in the table.
Number of sides 3 4 5 6 7 8
Number of diagonals 0 2 5 9
Sequence: 0 2 5 9 14 20
First Difference: 2 3 4 5 6
Second Difference: 1 1 1 1
Thus, the pentagon has 14 diagonals, while the octagon has 20 diagonals.
Verifying the result of the sequence using the diagrams of a heptagon and an
octagon.
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For Instructional Purposes Only * 1st Semester AY 2021 - 2022
Module 3 SUMMARY
The difference table shows the difference between successive terms of the
sequence. The difference in the rows may be the ‘first, second and third differences.
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GE 1 Mathematics in Modern World
III. Use a difference table to predict the next term of each sequence.
1. -2, 2, 12, 28, 50, 78
V. A baseball team won two out of their last four games. In how many different orders could
they have two wins and two losses in four games? (Apply Polya’s strategy).
References:
Aufmann, R. et. al.(2018).Mathematics in the Modern World (P hilippine
Edition). Rex Bookstore Inc. Manila, Philippines. pp. 55 - 101
Reyes, J.A (2018). Mathematics in the Modern World. Unlimited Books
Library Services & Publishing Inc. Intramuros, Manila. pp. 75 – 98
Sirug, W.S. (2018). Mathematics in Modern World. Mindshapers Co. Inc.
Intramuros, Manila. pp. 43 – 73
Vision: A Premier technological institution in Agriculture and Allied Sciences in the Region
Mission: Advancing Agriculture, allied sciences and technological development through production, research, extension, management,
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