TUTORIAL 1.

1
PROBLEM SOLVING

QUESTION 1 : THE KINGS ELEPHANT PROBLEM

Once upon a time the king of Siam asked his warriors to measure the weight of an elephant. However the weight of the elephant was too heavy to be measured by the biggest weighing machine available. Your task is to help the warriors to solve the problem.

1.

UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM The warriors needs to find the weight of the weight of the elephant but the weight of the elephant was too heavy to be measured by the biggest weighing machine available.

2.

DEVICE A PLAN Guess and check method can be carried out to find the weight of the elephant.The weight of the elephant can be estimate by using the volume of water.

3.

CARRY OUT THE PLAN Fill a tank with water which has more mass than the elephant.Then place the elephant using crane and put into the tank from top.Then collect the water splash out from the tank into another glass container .Therefore the mass of water splash out from the tank is equal to the mass of the elephant.So, the mass of the elephant can be estimate using this method successfully.

WAYS TO CONDUCT (IN DIAGRAM FORM)

 Step 1

FILL A TANK WITH WATER WHICH HAS MORE MASS THAN THE ELEPHANT

 Step 2

Then place the elephant using crane and put into the tank from top.

 Step 3
Measure the water that splash out from the big water tank when elephant is place inside the tank.

QUESTION 2 : ABU NAWASS PROBLEM

In one of the stories in one thousand and one Night, Abu Nawas would only allow any traveler to fetch water from the only well in the desert after solving the following problem: The travelers were given a 3 litre container and a 5 litre container.They have to measure exactly four and seven litters of water using the above containers.You are required to help the travelers to solve the problem.

1. UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM

Measure 4 litres of water and 7 litres of water using 3 litres and 5 littres of

containers.

2. DEVICE A PLAN
Use the 3 litres container and 5 litres container to measure 4 and 7 littres of water.

3. CARRY OUT THE PLAN

Firstly add the 3litre of water from the 3 litre container into a beaker and then add on 5 litre water from 5 litre container.Now the total amount of the

water in the beaker is 8 litre. So pour only half litre of water to a beaker to get 4 litre of water. Then add 3 litre of water from the 3 litre container into

 WAYS TO CONDUCT (IN DIAGRAM FORM)

To get 4 liter of water

3 litre

5 litre

A 8 litre (take half) = 4 litre

 To get 7 litre of water

Method 1
Add on 3 litre of water to container A which containing 4 litre of water to get 7 litre of water.

A 8 litre (half taken) =

3 litre

7 litre

remaining 4 litre

Method 2

(i) 5 litre

3 litre

(i) 2 litre [remaining]

5 litre

7 litre

 NAVAMANI SIMADIRI ANITTHA KUMARI MEGAVARNAM KAVITHA DEVINDARAN