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 Section

PROBLEM SOLVING

Module 6
:
Inductive and
Deductive reasoning
Section 6.1
 Learning Outcomes
At the end of this section, the students are expected to:
1. define and differentiate inductive and deductive
reasoning;
2. give examples of inductive and deductive reasoning; 
3. use inductive and deductive reasoning in solving
problems;
4. identify counterexamples to show that the statements
are false; and
5. solve logic puzzles.
 What is a problem?

It is a question that motivates a

person to search for a solution.
1. It implies that one wants or
needs to solve the problem.
2. One has to search for a way to
find a solution.
What is problem solving?
 Problem Solving

It is finding solutions and not just

answers to problems.

SOLUTION = METHOD + ANSWER

 Inductive Reasoning
Definition 6.1.1 Inductive reasoning is the
process of making general conclusions founded on
detailed or specific examples.

This reasoning is used in applications that involve

prediction, forecasting, or behavior. The conclusion
formed is called a conjecture which may be true or
false. In this case, counterexamples are very useful
to prove the validity of conjectures.
 Examples of Inductive Reasoning

Example 6.1.1
Use inductive reasoning to predict the next number
in each of the following lists.

a. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, ?

b. 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, ?
Solution
a. 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. 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 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.
Example 6.1.2

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.
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
size of the original number.
We conjecture that following the given
procedure produces a number that is four
times the original number.
 Example 6.1.3 The following are also
examples of inductive reasoning.

a. Lance is a male college student in XU. Lance is

handsome. Therefore, all XU male college students
are handsome.

b. My math teacher last semester was a woman. This

semester, my math teacher is also a woman.
Therefore, all math teachers are women.
Counterexamples

A statement is a true statement provided that it is

true in all cases.

If you can find one case for which a statement is not

true, called a counterexample, then the statement
is a false statement.
Example 6.1.4

Cite a counterexample to show that the following

statements are false.

a. The square of every number is positive.

b. The sum of any two odd numbers is odd.

c. All odd numbers can be expressed as the sum

of two primes.
Deductive Reasoning

Definition 6.1.2 Deductive reasoning is

the process of reaching a conclusion based
on general principles, assumptions, or
procedures.

The conclusion reached by this type of

reasoning is always valid and can be relied
on.
Example 6.1.5
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, add 6 to the product, divide the sum by 2,
and subtract 3.
Solution
Let n represent the original number.
Multiply the number by 8:

Add 6 to the product:

Divide the sum by 2:

Subtract 3:
 Inductive Reasoning vs. Deductive Reasoning

Determine whether each of the following arguments is an

example of inductive reasoning or deductive reasoning.

a. All first year college students in the new curriculum take

Math 4. Jeff is a first year college student in the new
curriculum. Therefore, Jeff takes Math 4.

b. Simeon is a grandfather. Simeon is bald. Therefore, all

grandfathers are bald.
Solution

a. Because the conclusion is a specific case of a

general assumption, this argument is an example
of deductive reasoning.

b. This argument reaches a conclusion based on

specific examples, so it is an example of inductive
reasoning.
Logic Puzzle - a problem that can be solved
through deductive reasoning.

Example 6.1.6
Each of four neighbors, Sean, Maria, Sarah, and Brian, has a
different occupation (editor, banker, chef, or dentist).
From the following clues, determine the occupation of each neighbor.
1. Maria gets home from work after the banker but before the dentist.
2. Sarah, who is the last to get home from work, is not the editor.
3. The dentist and Sarah leave for work at the same time.
4. The banker lives next door to Brian.
Solution
From clue 1, Maria is not the banker or the dentist. In the following
chart, write X1 (which stands for “ruled out by clue 1”) in the Banker
and the Dentist columns of Maria’s row.

From clue 2, Sarah is not the editor. Write X2 (ruled out by clue 2)
in the Editor column of Sarah’s row.
 We know from clue 1 that the banker is not the last to get
home, and we know from clue 2 that Sarah is the last to get
home; therefore, Sarah is not the banker. Write X2 in the
Banker column of Sarah’s row.

From clue 3, Sarah is not the dentist. Write X3 for this condition.
There are now Xs for three of the four occupations in Sarah’s row;
therefore, Sarah must be the chef.
Place a in that box. Since Sarah is the chef, none of the other
three people can be the chef. Write X3 for these conditions. There
are now Xs for three of the four occupations in Maria’s row;
therefore, Maria must be the editor.

Insert a to indicate that Maria is the editor, and write X3

twice to indicate that neither Sean nor Brian is the editor.
 From clue 4, Brian is not the banker. Write X4 for this condition.
See the following table. Since there are three Xs in the Banker
column, Sean must be the banker.

Place a in that box. Thus Sean cannot be the dentist. Write X4 in that
box. Since there are 3 Xs in the Dentist column, Brian must be the
dentist. Place a in that box. Sean is the banker, Maria is the editor,
Sarah is the chef, and Brian is the dentist.
Example 6.1.7
An elimination boxing tournament was organized. There
were 114 participants and so there were 57 matches in
the first round of the tournament. In the second round,
57 winners as qualifiers remaining were paired resulting
in 28 matches; one qualifier-fighter received a bye (that
is, did not have to fight in that round). The 29 qualifier-
fighters remaining were then paired, and so on.
a. How many matches in all were required to
determine a winner of the tournament?
b. How many matches would be required if n people
participated in the tournament to declare a winner?
(where n represents a fixed unspecified whole number)
Solution
a. 1st round 57 matches, 57 winner-qualifiers
2nd round 28 matches, 29 winner-qualifiers
3rd round 14 matches, 15 winner-qualifiers
4th round 7 matches, 8 winner-qualifiers
5th round 4 matches, 4 winner-qualifiers
6th round 2 matches, 2 winner-qualifiers
7th round 1 match, 1 winner

To add all the matches from the first round to the last
round, 57+28+14+7+4+2+1 = 113 , 113 matches to be
held all in all to declare 1 winner in the tournament.
b. How many matches would be required if n people
participated in the tournament to declare a winner?
(where n represents a fixed unspecified whole number)

Using the information, we can deduce that if n people

participated in the tournament, there will be n – 1
matches before a winner can be declared.
EXERCISE SET 6.1
1. Use inductive reasoning to predict the next number in
each list.
a. 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 24,? c.
b. 5, 11, 17, 23, 29, 25,? d. 1, 5, 12, 22, 35,?
2. Find a number that provides a counterexample to show
that the given statement is false.
a. For all numbers x, x > b. For all numbers x,
3. Use deductive reasoning to show that the following
procedure always produces 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.
4. Five friends Sophia, Sean, Bianca, Brylle, and Kyle are each allergic to
something different: pollen, shellfish, bee stings, cats, or nuts.
a. Sophia has a food allergy
b. Sean can play with his kitten for hours without issue (or medicine).
c. Bianca’s allergy is not related to animals.
d. Brylle has seasonal allergies.
Can you figure out who is allergic to what?
5. Sean, Lance, Jeff, and Nathan all went fishing to see who could catch the
biggest fish. Each of them caught a sea fish. They weighed the fish in pairs.
This is what they found:
a. All the fish were of different weights.
b. Sean’s and Lance’s fish weighed 12 lbs altogether.
c. Lance’s and Jeff’s fish weighed 14 lbs altogether.
d. Jeff’s and Nathan’s fish weighed 15 lbs altogether.
e. The lightest fish weighed 5 lbs and all weights are integers.
Who caught the smallest fish?
REFERENCES
1. Aufmann, R.N.(2018). Mathematics in the Modern World. Rex Book Store, Inc.
2. Daligdig, R.M. (2019). Mathematics in the Modern World. Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
3. Carpio, J.N. and Peralta, B.D. (2018). Mathematics in the Modern World. Books
Atbp. Publishing Corp.
4. Olejan, R.O., Veloria, E.V., Bonghanoy, G.B., Ondaro, J.E.,and
Sumalinog, J.D. (2018). Mathematics in the Modern World. MUTYA Publishing
House, Inc.
5. Manlulu, E.A. and Hipolito, L.M. (2019). A Course Module for
Mathematics in the Modern World. Rex Book Store, Inc.
6. Engel, A. (1998). Problem-solving strategies. New York, USA: Springer-Verlag.
7. Zeits, P (2017). The art and craft of problem-solving (3rd Edition). USA:
John Wiley & Sons.
8. Stickels, T . Math Puzzles and BrainTeasers ( 1st Edition). USA: A Wiley Imprint.