Problem Solving

~Problem solving is an integral part of all mathematics learning. In everyday life and in the workplace, being able to solve problems can lead to great advantages.

~Problem solving means engaging in a task for which the solution is not known in advance.

~ There are two types of problem, routine problem and non-routine problem.

Routine Problem

~involves using at least one of the four arithmetic operations and/or ratio to solve problems that are practical in nature.

~concerns to a large degree the kind of problem solving that serves a socially useful function that has immediate and future payoff.

Non-routine Problem

~involves some sort of !ureka, I figured it out" reaction after using strategies such as #guess and check# to search for ways to solve a problem.

~involvement of the processes of e$ploring, speculating, and confirming.

Differences between routine problem and non-routine problem

Problem %olving &outine problem

- %trength( easily assessed by paper pencil tests - )eakness( least directly connected to human problem solving . 'on-routine problem - %trength( most directly connected to human problem solving - )eakness( least able to be assessed by paper-pencil tests. - can be divided into two types, static and active. i* %tatic non-routine problem have a fi$ed known goals and known elements. !$ample( solving a +igsaw pu,,les ii* -ctive non-routine problem may have a fi$ed goal with changing elements, changing goal with fi$ed elements, changing goal with changing elements. - involves the use of heuristics .strategies that do not guarantee a solution to a problem but provide a more higly probable method for discovering the solution to a problem* or strategies such as /guess and check0 to solve problem.

- involves the uses of sets of known or at least one of the arithmetic operations and/or ratio to solve problems.

Example of non-routine questions: Problem 1

I wrote 1 different numbers on 1 cards. The sum of the numbers is 21. )hat numbers did I put on the cards3

Understanding the Problem

4 5ow many numbers did I write3 .1* 4 )hat is the sum of the numbers3 .21* 4 5ow many numbers on each card3 .2* 4 -re any 6 numbers the same3 .'o, they are all different.*

Planning a Solution

4 7ould 2 of the numbers be 213 .'o, because the rest would be 8 and we said that all the numbers were different.* 4 %elect 1 numbers and check to see if their sum is 21.

Finding the nswer i* 9uess and 7heck

:P Try 8,2,6,;,<:=8 > 2 > 6 > ; > < ? 28 .too little* :P Try 2,6,;,<,1:=2 > 6 > ; > < > 1 ? 21 .correct*

5ence, the numbers are 2, 6, ;, <, and 1.

ii* @ake a Table 2st number 6nd number ;rd number ; <th number <th number 1th number Total < 1 A 21 < 1 A B 68 1 A B C 61 A B C D ;8 B C D 28 ;1 2 6 6 ; ; < < 1 1 A

Problem Extension If the numbers are even and different and their sum is ;8, what are the numbers3 .6,<,A,C,28*

ii* @ake a Table 2st number 6nd number ;rd number A <th number <th number 1th number Total C 28 26 ;8 C 28 26 2< <8 28 26 2< 2A 18 26 2< 2A 2C A8 2< 2A 2C 68 B8 6 < < A A C C 28 28 26

Problem !: 6,<,A,CEE )hich number should come ne$t in the series3

Finding the answer .i* Fook for a pattern

6,<,A,C EE >6 >6 >6 >6

5ence, the ne$t number is 28. .ii* Gsing formulae Gse formulae time 6 2$6?6 6$6?< ;$6?A <$6?C 1 $ 6 ?28

Problem Extension ;,A,D,26EE )hat would be the ne$t number3

. 21 * .ii* Gsing formulae Gse formulae time ; 2$;?; 6$;?A ;$;?D < $ ; ?26

1 $ ; ?21

Problem "

%eth and Hob each began reading a 5ardy Hoys book today. If %eth reads C pages each day and Hob reads 1 pages each day, what page will Hob be reading when %eth is reading page 1A3 .5int( 7omplete the table.*

Iays 2 6 ;

%eth Page C 2A 6<

Hob Page 1 28 21

Understanding the Problem 4 5ow many pages does %eth read each day3 .C* Hob3 .1* 4 Iid they start reading their books on the same day3 .yes*

Planning a Solution 4 5ow many pages had %eth read at the end of the first day3 .C* Hob3 .1* 4 )hen %eth has read 2A pages, how many pages will Hob have read3.28* 4 Jind the number of pages %eth read for the first 1 days. .C, 2A, 6<, ;6, <8*

Finding the nswer

i*

@ake a Table

Iays 2 6 ; < 1 A B

%eth Page C 2A 6< ;6 <8 <C 1A

Hob Page 1 28 21 68 61 ;8 ;1

Hob will be reading page ;1 when %eth is reading page 1A.

ii* Fook Jor a Pattern %eth page( C, 2A, 6<, ;6, <8, <C, 1A

Hob page( 1, 28, 21, 68, 61, ;8, ;1

Problem Extension @ary reads D pages a day, %ue reads 28 pages a day, and @olly reads C pages a day. )hat page will %ue and @olly each be reading when @ary is reading page B63 .%ue--Page C8, @olly--Page A<

@ake a Table Iays 2 6 ; < 1 A B C @ary D 2C 6B ;A <1 1< A; B6 %ue 28 68 ;8 <8 18 A8 B8 C8 @olly C 2A 6< ;6 <8 <C 1A A<

Example of routine problems: Problem 1 @arty did 6 of these activities. 5e paid for them with a K28.88 bill. 5is change was K;.B1. )hat 6 activities did @arty do3 -ctivities @ovies Putt-putt golf %kating 9o Lart &ides Understanding the Problem 7ost K;.18 K;.88 K6.88 K6.B1

~5ow many activities did he do3 .6* ~5ow much money did he have3 .K28.88* ~)hat was his change3 .K;.B1*

Planning a Solution

4 5ow much money did he have3 .K28.88* )hat was the change3 .K;.B1* 4 5ow much did he spend3 .KA.61* 4 If he saw the movies and golfed, how much money would he have spent3 .KA.18* Iid he do these 6 activities3 .'o, they cost too much.* Finding the nswer i* 9uess and 7heck ~:P Try movies and skating:=K;.18 > K6.88 ? K1.18. .too little* :P Try movies and go-karts:=K;.18 > K6.B1 ? KA.61. .correct* ~The activities that @arty did are the movies and the go-kart rides.

ii* @ake a Table Jirst activity %econd activity Total K @ovies .K;.18* Putt-putt 9olf . K;.88* K A.18 @ovies . K;.18* %cating . K6.88* K1.18 @ovies . K;.18* 9o Lart &ides .K6.B1* KA.61 %cating . %cating Putt Mputt golf .K;.88* 9o Lart &ides.K6.B1* K1.B1

K6.88* .K6.88* Putt- putt 9o Lart golf .K;.88* K1.88 &ides .K6.B1* K<.B1

Problem Extension @arty#s friend Noe went also, but he was not limited to 6 activities. 5e took K28.88 and brought backK6.61. )hat activities did he do3 .golf, skating, go-kart rides*

Finding the nswer i* 9uess and 7heck

~:P Try movies, skating and go karts:=K;.18 > K6.88 > K6.B1 ? KB.B1. . K28.88 - K 6.61 ? K B.B1* ~The activities that @arty did are the movies, skating and the go-kart rides Problem # Nose used A blocks to build this staircase with ; steps. 5ow many blocks will Nose need to make a A-step staircase3

Understanding the Problem 4 5ow many blocks are used to build a ;-step staircase3 .A* 4 Io you know how many blocks are used to make a A-step staircase3 .'o, that is what we are trying to find out.*

Planning a Solution 4 5ow many blocks were used to build the first step3 .2 * 4 5ow many new blocks were used for the second step3 .6*

4 5ow many new blocks would be needed for the fourth step3 .<* )hat would be the total number of blocks used to build a staircase with < steps3 .28*

Finding the nswer i* @ake a Table

%teps in %taircase 2 6 ; < 1 A ii* Fook for a Pattern

Hlocks 'eeded to Huild 'ew %teps 2 6 ; < 1 A

Total Hlocks 'eeded 2 2>6?; 2>6>;?A 2>6>;><?28 2>6>;><>1?21 2>6>;><>1>A?62

O The number of new blocks needed increases by 2 with each new step. The total number of blocks needed for nth step is the sum of the number 2 through n. O It would take 62 blocks to build a A-step staircase.

Problem Extension O 5ow many steps would there be in a staircase using BC blocks3 .26* Fook for a Pattern 2, ;, A, 28, 21, 62, 6C, ;A, <1, 11, AA, BC, EE There are 26 steps in a staircase using blocks

Problem $ !arl played a game using the figure below. Jirst he covered the section numbered 2. Then he covered the sections numbered 2 and 6. 'e$t he covered the sections numbered 2 and <. )hat sections would he cover on his seventh round3

Understanding the Problem 4 )hat numbers are in the circle3 .2, 6, <, C* 4 )hat number.s* did he cover first3 .7#* %econd3 .2, 6* 'e$t3 .2, <*

Planning a Solution 4 )hat is the sum of the numbers he covered first3 .2* 4 )hat is the sum of the numbers he covered second3 .;* 'e$t3 .1* 4 @ake a table and look for a pattern.

Finding the nswer @ake a Table %um 2 2>6?; 2><?1 2>6><?B 2>C?D 2>6>C?22 2><>C?2;

&ound Jirst %econd Third Jourth Jifth %i$th %eventh

ii* Fook Jor a Pattern

2,;,1,B,D,22,2; Pattern( The sum of the numbers increases by 6 in each round. !arl would cover the 2, <, and C on his seventh round.

Problem Extension

If he covered the 6 first, then the <, then the 6 and the <, what numbers would he cover on his seventh round3 .6, <, C*

Problem % There will be B teams playing in the @aple Island Fittle Feague tournament. !ach team is scheduled to play every other team once. 5ow many games are scheduled for the tournament3

Understanding the Problem 4 5ow many teams have entered the tournament3 .B* 4 If team - plays team H. will they play each other again3 .no*

Planning a Solution 4 5ow many games will team - play3 .A* 5ow many games will team H play3 .1* 4 If there were only 6 teams in the tournament, how many games would be played3 .2 * ; teams3 .;* < teams3 .A* 4 )rite the names of B teams and show which teams each one will play.

Finding the nswer @ake an Prgani,ed Fist Team( - H 7 I ! J 9

H 7 I ! J 9 7 I ! J 9 I ! J 9 ! J 9 J 9 9

A > 1 > < > ; > 6 > 2 ? 62

@ake a Table/ Fook for pattern

'o. of Teams 6

'o. of 9ames 2

; < 1 A B

; A 28 21 62 Pattern( The number of games played increases by the number of teams playing less 2. There are 62 games scheduled for the tournament &

Problem Extension There were 21 people signed up for Fincoln %chool#s chess tournament. Pf the 21, 26 were students and ; were teachers. If each teacher played each student 2 time, how many games were played3 .; $ 26 ? ;A*

Problem !: There are C boys and 28 girls in a year 1 class. 5ow many students are there in year 13

Finding the answer: .i* Gsing formulae

-dd up the number of boys and girls

C>28?2C 5ence, there is 2C students in Qear 1 class.

.ii* Gsing a diagram

Hoys(

9irls(

-dd them up and hence the sum is 2C.