Scribd
Upload
16 views

Chapter 3.3 - Problem Solving Strategies.pptx

Uploaded by

vinceivancastroverde26
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
16 views

Chapter 3.3 - Problem Solving Strategies.pptx

Uploaded by

vinceivancastroverde26
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 31

Section 3.

PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGY


Polya’s Four – Step Problem Strategy

1. Understand the problem


2. Devise a plan
3. Carry out the plan
4. Review the solution
Understand the Problem
• Can you restate the problem in your own words?
• Can you determine what is known about these types of
problems?
• Is there a missing information that, if known, would allow
you to solve the problem?
• Is there extraneous information that is not needed to
solve the problem?
Devise a Plan (Techniques)
• Make a list of the known information
• Make a list of the information that is needed
• Draw a diagram / table / chart
• Make an organized list that shows all the possibilities
• Work backwards
• Try to solve a similar but simpler problem
• Look for a pattern
• Write an equation. If necessary, define what each variable
represents
• Perform an experiment
• Guess at a solution and then check your result
Carry Out the Plan

• 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 may have to devise another plan or modify your
existing plan
Review the Solution
• Ensure that the solution is consistent with the facts of the
problem

• Interpret your solution in the context of the problem


• Ask yourself whether there are generalizations of the
solution that could apply to other problems
Example 1. Apply Polya’s Strategy

Allison wishes to
walk along the
streets from point
A to point B. How
many direct routes
can she take?
Solution
Understand the Problem
• assume that on a direct route, she always travels along a
street in a direction that gets her closer to point B
Devise a Plan
• We make a diagram that allows us to concentrate on the
essential information
• Because there are
many routes, we
consider the similar
but simpler
diagrams shown.
The number at each
intersection
represents the
number of routes
from point A to
that particular
intersection
Look for patterns

it appears that the


number of routes to an
intersection is the sum
of the number of routes
to the adjacent
intersection to its left
and the number of
routes to the
intersections above it
Carry Out the Plan

• Using the
pattern
discovered,
we see the
number of
routes from
A to B
Review the Solution

• Ask yourself whether a result of 35 seems reasonable

• If you were required to draw each route, could you devise


a scheme that would enable you to draw each route
without missing a route or duplicating a route?
CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 1

(page 82)
Example 2. Apply Polya’s Strategy (Make an organized list)

A baseball team won two out of their last four games. In


how many ways could they have two wins and two loses in
four games?

Solution
Understand the Problem
There are different orders of winning and losing
• WWLL • Other possibilities
• LLWW
Devise a Plan
• Make an organized list of all the possible orders ensuring
that each of the different orders will be listed once and
only once

Carry Out the Plan


• Each list must contain two Ws and two Ls
WWLL (start w/ 2 W) LLWW (start w/ 2L)
WLWL (start w/ 1 W) LWWL (start w/ 1L)
WLLW LWLW
Review the Solution
• We have made an organized list
• The list has no duplicates
• We have considered all the possibilities the team have 2
W and 2 L exactly out of four games
• We are confident that there are 6 different orders
CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 2

(page 83)
Example 3. Apply Polya’s Strategy (Similar but simpler problem)
In a basketball league consisting of 10 teams, each team
plays each of the other teams exactly three times. How
many league games will be played?

Solution
Understand the Problem
• The problem is to determine the total number of league
games that will be played
Devise a Plan
• Try the strategy of working a similar but simpler problem,
having with only four teams, denoted by A,B,C, & D, in
which each team plays each of the other teams only
once.
Since each of the four teams will
play a game against each other
three, we might conclude that this
would result in
4 . 3 = 12 games
But the diagram shows only 6 line
segments. It appears that our
procedure has counted each game
twice (e.g. A vs B and B vs A)
Carry Out the Plan

• Since each team plays each opponent exactly three times,


the total number of games

45 . 3 = 135 games
Review the Solution
• It would be complicated if we will do a diagram similar
with the four teams
• Instead we will make use of an organized list
• The ten teams require

9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 45 games

if each team plays every other team once only.

• If each team play exactly three games with one another,


the total number of games

45 . 3 = 135 games
CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 3

(page 84)
Example 5. Apply Polya’s Strategy

In consecutive turns of Monopoly Game, Stacy first paid


$800 for a hotel. She then lost half her money when she
landed on Boardwalk. Next, she collected $200 for passing
GO. She then lost half her remaining money when she
landed on Illinois Avenue. Stacy now has $2500. How much
did she have just before she purchased the hotel?
CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 5

(page 85)
Example 6. Apply Polya’s Strategy (Guess and Check)

The product of the ages, in years, of three teenagers is 4590.


None of the teens are the same age. What are the ages of
the teenagers?
CHECK YOUR PROGRESS 6

(page 87)
Example 7. Solve a Deceptive Problem

A hat and a jacket together cost $100. The jacket costs $90
more than the hat. What are the cost of the hat and the cost
of the jacket?

You might also like