Lesson 2.2. POLYA's Problem Solving Strategydocx

Lesson 2.
2: POLYA’s Problem Solving Strategy
DISCUSSION
Introduction
In his book (Polya, 1957) identifies the following four basic principles of problem-solving.
The four steps are: (1) Understanding the problem, (2) Devising a Plan, (3) Carrying out the plan,
(4) Looking back. Polya’s four steps appear simple. Examining each of this steps and determining
what is involved is essential to become a good problem solver.
One of the primary reasons people have trouble with problem solving is that there is no
single procedure that works all the time — each problem is slightly different. Also, problem solving
requires practical knowledge about the specific situation. If you misunderstand either the problem
or the underlying situation you may make mistakes or incorrect assumptions. One of our main
goals for this semester is to become better problem solvers. To begin this task, we now discuss
a framework for thinking about problem solving: Polya’s four-step approach to problem solving.
Polya's four-step approach to problem solving
1. Preparation: Understand the problem
➢ Learn the necessary underlying mathematical concepts
➢ Consider the terminology and notation used in the problem:
o 1. What sort of a problem is it?
o 2. What is being asked?
o 3. What do the terms mean?
o 4. Is there enough information or is more information needed?
o 5. What is known or unknown?
➢ Rephrase the problem in your own words.
➢ Write down specific examples of the conditions given in the problem.
2. Thinking Time: Devise a plan
➢ You must start somewhere so try something.
➢ How are you going to attack the problem?
➢ Possible strategies: (i. e. reach into your bag of tricks.)
o 1. Draw pictures
o 2. Use a variable and choose helpful names for variables or unknowns.
o 3. Be systematic.
o 4. Solve a simpler version of the problem.
o 5. Guess and check. Trial and error. Guess and test. (Guessing is OK.)
o 6. Look for a pattern or patterns.
o 7. Make a list.
➢ Once you understand what the problem is, if you are stumped or stuck, set the problem
aside for a while. Your subconscious mind may keep working on it.
➢ Moving on to think about other things may help you stay relaxed, flexible, and creative
rather than becoming tense, frustrated, and forced in your efforts to solve the problem.
3. Insight: Carry out the plan
➢ Once you have an idea for a new approach, jot it down immediately. When you have time,
try it out and see if it leads to a solution.
➢ If the plan does not seem to be working, then start over and try another approach. Often
the first approach does not work. Do not worry, just because an approach does not work,
it does not mean you did it wrong. You actually accomplished something, knowing a way
does not work is part of the process of elimination.
➢ Once you have thought about a problem or returned to it enough times, you will often have
a flash of insight: a new idea to try or a new perspective on how to approach solving the
problem.
➢ The key is to keep trying until something works.
4. Verification: Look back
➢ Once you have a potential solution, check to see if it works.
o 1. Did you answer the question?
o 2.Is your result reasonable?
o 3. Double check to make sure that all of the conditions related to the problem are
satisfied.
o 4. Double check any computations involved in finding your solution.
➢ If you find that your solution does not work, there may only be a simple mistake. Try to fix
or modify your current attempt before scrapping it. Remember what you tried—it is likely
that at least part of it will end up being useful.
➢ Is there another way of doing the problem which may be simpler? (You need to become
flexible in your thinking. There usually is not one right way.)
➢ Can the problem or method be generalized so as to be useful for future problems?
Remember, problem solving is as much an art as it is a science‼ R
Example # 1:
Mr. Jones has a total of 25 chickens and cows on his farm. How many of each does he
have if all together there are 76 feet?
Step 1: Understanding the problem

We are given in the problem that there are 25 chickens and cows.
All together there are 76 feet.
Chickens have 2 feet and cows have 4 feet.
We are trying to determine how many cows and how many chickens Mr. Jones has on his farm.
Step 2: Devise a plan
Going to use Guess and test along with making a tab
Many times the strategy below is used with guess and test.
Make a table and look for a pattern:
Procedure: Make a table reflecting the data in the problem. If done in an orderly way, such a table
will often reveal patterns and relationships that suggest how the problem can be solved.
Step 3: Carry out the plan:
Chickens Cows Number of chicken feet Number of cow feet Total number of feet
20 5 40 20 60
21 4 42 16 58
Notice we are going in the wrong direction! The total number of feet is decreasing!
19 6 38 24 62
Better! The total number of feet are increasing!
15 10 30 40 70
12 13 24 52 76
ANSWER: 12 Chickens and 13 Cows
Step 4: Looking back:
Check: 12 + 13 = 25 heads
24 + 52 = 76 feet.
We have found the solution to this problem. I could use this strategy when there are a limited
number of possible answers and when two items are the same but they have one characteristic
that is different.
Example # 2:
Twice the difference of a number and 1 is 4 more than that number. Find the
number.
Step 1: Understand the problem.
Make sure that you read the question carefully several times.
Since we are looking for a number, we will let
x = a number
Step 2: Devise a plan (translate).
Step 3: Carry out the plan (solve).
*Remove ( ) by using dist. prop.
*Get all the x terms on one side
*Inv. of sub. 2 is add 2
Step 4: Look back (check and interpret).
If you take twice the difference of 6 and 1, that is the same as 4 more than 6,
so this does check.
FINAL ANSWER: The number is 6.
Example 3:
One number is 3 less than another number. If the sum of the two numbers is
177, find each number.
Step 1: Understand the problem.
Make sure that you read the question carefully several times.
We are looking for two numbers, and since we can write the one number in terms of
another number, we will let
x = another number
one number is 3 less than another number:
x - 3 = one number
Step 2: Devise a plan (translate).
Step 3: Carry out the plan (solve).
*Combine like terms
*Inv. of sub 3 is add 3
*Inv. of mult. 2 is div. 2
Step 4: Look back (check and interpret).
If we add 90 and 87 (a number 3 less than 90) we do get 177.
FINAL ANSWER: One number is 90. Another number is 87.
LEARNING TASK/ACTIVITY: (To be submitted to the GClassroom as soon as possible)
Solve the following problems using Polya’s Problem solving strategy:
1.) Find Three consecutive odd numbers such that 4 times the first less the second will be
nine more than the sum of the first and the third. What are the numbers?
2.) Sonia is 3 years older than Melissa. The sum of their ages in 4 years will be 59 years.
How old are they now?

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Lesson 2.

2: POLYA’s Problem Solving Strategy

Step 1: Understanding the problem

Better! The total number of feet are increasing!

ANSWER: 12 Chickens and 13 Cows

Step 4: Looking back:

Step 1: Understand the problem.

Since we are looking for a number, we will let

Step 3: Carry out the plan (solve).

*Remove ( ) by using dist. prop.

*Get all the x terms on one side

*Inv. of sub. 2 is add 2

Step 4: Look back (check and interpret).

FINAL ANSWER: The number is 6.

Step 1: Understand the problem.

one number is 3 less than another number:

Step 3: Carry out the plan (solve).

*Combine like terms

*Inv. of sub 3 is add 3

*Inv. of mult. 2 is div. 2

Step 4: Look back (check and interpret).

If we add 90 and 87 (a number 3 less than 90) we do get 177.

FINAL ANSWER: One number is 90. Another number is 87.

LEARNING TASK/ACTIVITY: (To be submitted to the GClassroom as soon as possible)

Solve the following problems using Polya’s Problem solving strategy:

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