Chapter 3

Problem Solving and Reasoning

Learning Objectives
At the end of the chapter, the student is expected to:
1. Apply inductive and deductive reasoning to solve problems;
2. Solve problems involving patterns and recreational problems following
Polya’s strategy; and
3. Organize one’s methods and approaches for proving and solving problems.

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 Most occupations require good problem-solving skills. For instance,
architects and engineers must solve many complicated problems as they design and
construct modern buildings that are aesthetically pleasing, functional, and that meet
stringent safety requirements.
Two goals of this lesson are to help you become a better problem solver and
to demonstrate that problem solving can be an enjoyable experience.

Pre-Problems
Some of the common problems are:

1. What is the value of the final equation?

See next page for the answer and solution.

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 2. Let’s solve the puzzle like an algebra problem.

Let
r = a red balloon
gg = pair of green balloons
bb = pair of blue balloons

Then the puzzle translates to:

r + r + r = 30
r + gg + gg = 18
gg – bb = 2
b+r×g=?
Let’s solve each equation in order.
r + r + r = 30
3r = 30
r = 10
Then we have:
r + gg + gg = 18
10 + 2(gg) = 18
2(gg) = 8
gg = 4 therefore g = 2
The third equation is then:
gg – bb = 2
4 – bb = 2
bb = 2 therefore b = 1

So we can then evaluate:

b+r×g
= 1 + 10 × 2 (We have to remember to do 10 × 2 first because of the order of operations.)
= 1 + 20
= 21

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2. What is the next term of the sequence 5, 10, 17, 26, ___?

3. Five people were eating apples. A finished before B, but behind C. D finished
before E, but behind B. What was the finishing order?

Answers can be found at the end of this lesson.

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Purpose of Problem Solving
The purpose of problem solving is to train the mind to respond properly to
challenging events.

Problem solving conditions the mind to identify what resources you have at present
to help you solve the problem at hand and lets you recognize whether the problem is
solvable or not.

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Two types of Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning
The type of reasoning that forms a general conclusion based on the
examination/observation of specific examples.

Specific to general.
The conclusion formed is a conjecture, it may or may not be correct.

Examples:
1. Every quiz has been easy. Therefore, the next test will be easy.
The conclusion is a prediction on the observation of the past quizzes.
2. The teacher used PowerPoint in the last few classes. Therefore, the teacher
will use PowerPoint tomorrow.

When you examine a list of numbers and predict the next number in the list according
to some pattern you have observed, you are using inductive reasoning.

Examples:
Use Inductive Reasoning to Predict a Number.
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.
3, 6, 9, 12, 15, ?
+3 +3 +3 +3 +3

b. The first two numbers differ by 2. The second and the third number differ by
3. It appears that the difference between any two numbers is always 1 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.
1, 3, 6, 10, 15, ?

+2 +3 +4 +5 +6

+1 +1 +1 +1

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Try yourself.
Predict the next term of the sequence.
1. 1, 7, 17, 31, 49, ?

2. -2, 3, -4, 5, -6, 7, ?

3. Predict the next letter. O, T, T, F, F, S, S, E, ?

Deductive Reasoning
The process of reaching a specific conclusion by applying general information,
principles, assumptions, or procedures.

General to specific.

Examples:
1. Even numbers are divisible by 2, 6 is divisible by 2.
Therefore, 6 is an even number. Conclusion: 6 has a property of an
Premise is a General information even number.

2. If m∠ A is acute, m∠ A is 90 degrees,
Then, we can say that m∠ A is acute.

3. All Gillian Flynn novels are worth reading. The novel Gone Girl is a Gillian
Flynn novel. Thus, Gone Girl is worth reading.

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Solving Logic Puzzles using Deductive Reasoning

Example:
Each of four neighbors, Sean, Maria, Sarah, and Brian, has different occupations
(editor, banker, chef, or dentist). From the following clues, determine the occupation
of each neighbor.
Clue 1: Maria gets home from work after the banker but before the dentist.
Clue 2: Sarah, who is the last to get home from work, is not the editor.
Clue 3: The dentist and Sarah leave for work at the same time.
Clue 4: The banker lives next door to Brian.

Solution
From clue 1: Maria gets home from work after the banker but before the dentist.
Conclusion: Maria is not the banker nor the dentist.

Create a matrix/table:
Editor Banker Chef Dentist
Sean
Maria x₁ x₁
Sarah
Brian
x₁ - marks that Maria is not the banker nor the dentist based on clue # 1.

From clue 2: Sarah, who is the last to get home from work, is not the editor.
Conclusion: From this, Sarah is not the editor nor the banker since the banker
is not the last to get home.
Note: “not the banker” is based on clue 1, the order they gets home from
work.
Editor Banker Chef Dentist
Sean
Maria x₁ x₁
Sarah x₂ x₂
Brian

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From clue 3: The dentist and Sarah leave for work at the same time.
Conclusion: Sarah is not also the dentist and from this Sarah is the Chef.

Editor Banker Chef Dentist

Sean
Maria x₁ x₁
Sarah x₂ x₂ ✓ x₃
Brian

It follows that,
Editor Banker Chef Dentist
Sean x
Maria x₁ x₁
Sarah x₂ x₂ ✓ x₃
Brian x
And Maria is the Editor,
Editor Banker Chef Dentist
Sean x
Maria ✓ x₁ x x₁
Sarah x₂ x₂ ✓ x₃
Brian x
Then,
Editor Banker Chef Dentist
Sean x x
Maria ✓ x₁ x x₁
Sarah x₂ x₂ ✓ x₃
Brian x x

From clue 4: The banker lives next door to Brian.

Conclusion: Brian is not the Banker and he is the Dentist
Editor Banker Chef Dentist
Sean x x
Maria ✓ x₁ x x₁
Sarah x₂ x₂ ✓ x₃
Brian x x₄ x ✓

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Then, Sean is the Banker.
Editor Banker Chef Dentist
Sean x ✓ x x
Maria ✓ x₁ x x₁
Sarah x₂ x₂ ✓ x₃
Brian x x₄ x ✓

Answer: Sian is the Banker, Maria is the Editor, Sarah is the Chef, and Brian is the
Dentist.

Try yourself.
Brian, Ryan, Tyler, and Ashley were recently elected as the new class officers
(president, vice president, secretary, treasurer) of the sophomore class at Summit
College, from the following clues, determine which position each holds.
1. Ashley is younger than the president but older than the treasurer.
2. Brian and the secretary are both the same age, and they are the youngest
members of the group.
3. Tyler and the secretary are next-door neighbors.

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Difference between Inductive and Deductive Reasoning

Determine whether each of the following statements is an example of an inductive

or deductive reasoning.
1. I know I will win a jackpot on this slot machine in the next 10 tries, because
it has not paid out any money during the last 45 tries.
2. Cats don’t eat tomatoes. Tigger is a cat. Therefore, Tigger does not eat
tomatoes.
3. Since
11 x (1)(101) = 1111
11 x (2)(101) = 2222
11 x (3) (101) = 3333
11 x (4)(101) = 4444
We know that the product of 11 and a multiple of 101 is a number in which e
very digit is the same.
See answer at the end of this lesson.

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Polya’s Four steps to Problem Solving Strategy

George Polya (1887-1985)

Father of Problem Solving

“Your problem may be modest; but if it challenges your

curiosity and brings into play your inventive faculties, and if
you solve it by your means, you may experience the tension
and enjoy the triumph of discovery.”

1. Understand the problem.

 One must see to it that he or she can state the problem in his or her own
words.
 Determine what is known about these types of problems.
 Determine the missing information that, if known, would allow you to
solve the problem.
 Identify the goal.

2. Devise a plan.
• Think of strategies to solve the problem.
• Make a list if the known information and the information that is needed
• Draw a diagram.
• Make a table or chart.
• Work backwards.
• Try to solve similar but simpler problems.
• Look for patterns.
• Perform an experiment.

3. Carry out the plan.

• Once you have devised a plan, you must implement the strategy chosen.
• Work carefully.
• Keep an accurate and neat record of all your attempts.
• Realize that some of your initial plans will not work and that you have
to devise another plan or modify your existing data.

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4. Review the solution.
• Once you have found a solution, check the solution.
• Is your answer reasonable?
• Ensure that the solution is consistent with the facts of the problem.
• Interpret the solution in the context of the problem.

Apply Polya’s Strategy in solving the following problems

Examples:
1. The GSW basketball team won three out of their last six games. In how many
different orders could they have attained three wins and three losses in six games?

Solution
a. Understand the problem. There are many different ways. Such as three
straight wins then three losses (WWWLLL), etc.

b. Devise a plan. Organize a list.

c. Carry out the plan.

Here are the different orders.
1. WWWLLL 9. LLLWWW
2. WWLWLL 10. LLWLWW
3. WWLLWL 11. LLWWLW
4. WWLLLW 12. LLWWWL
5. WLLLWW 13. LWWWLL
6. WLLWWL 14. LWWLLW
7. WLWWLL 15. LWLLWW
8. WLWLWL 16. LWLWLW

d. Review the solution. The list is organized and has no duplicates, so there are
sixteen (16) different orders in which a basketball team can win exactly three
out of six games.

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2. How many squares are in this figure?

Solution
a. Understand the problem. The figure is a 6x6 square. A square is closed,
two- dimensional shape with 4 equal sides. Ex. 2 by 2 is a square.
b. Devise a plan. Identify the number of squares in each square sizes
1 x 1 square
2 x 2 square
3 x 3 square
4 x 4 square
5 x 5 square
6 x 6 square
c. Carry out the plan.
1 x 1 square – 36 squares
2 x 2 square – 25 squares
3 x 3 square – 16 squares
4 x 4 square – 9 squares
5 x 5 square – 4 squares
6 x 6 square – 1 square

d. Review the solution. All of the square sizes are identified and counted so,
there are 91 squares. The number of squares in each square sizes are perfect
square (36, 25, 16, 9, 4, 1).

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3. Finding a Day of the Week
In 2017, Venus’ birthday fell on a Saturday, June 3. On what day of the week
does Venus’s birthday fall in 2020? Note that the year 2020 is a leap year.

Solution:
a. Understand the problem. June 3 2020 is three years form 2017, a year has 365
days and a leap year has 366 days. We know that every day the week (7 days) is
repeated after 7 days. Example, if today is Monday, after 7 days it will be
Monday again.
365 ÷ 7 is 52 remainder 1, so every year on the same day will be a day next,
except for leap year which will be 2 days after the month of February.

b. Devise a plan. List the years in the problem and associate the day it will fall.

c. Carry out the plan.

June 3, 2017 – Monday
June 3, 2018 – Tuesday
June 3, 2019 – Wednesday
June 3, 2020 – Friday

d. Review the solution. The day of the week move a day each year from 2017 and
move 2 days on 2020 since it is a leap year and beyond the month of February.
So, we are sure that our answer is correct.

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Answers to Problems

Page 4
2. 37
3. CABDE

Page 7
1. 71
2. – 8
3. N (first letter of the counting numbers)

Page 10
1. Brian is the treasurer, Ryan is the secretary, Tyler is the President and Ashley
is the Vice President

Page 11
1. Inductive
2. Deductive
3. Inductive

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 Thank you and God bless.

Please don’t forget to submit all 3 tasks (prelim) before the quiz date.

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