CHAPTER5

PROBLEM SOLVING

(Reference: Chapter 1 of
Mathematical Excursions by
Aufmann)
 CHAPTER5
Problem Solving
• Problem-Solving Strategies
PROBLEM-SOLVING
STRATEGIES
 Polya’s Problem-Solving Strategy
• One of the foremost recent
mathematicians to make a study of
problem solving was George Polya
(1887–1985).
• He was born in
Hungary and moved
to the United States
in 1940.
The basic problem-solving strategy that Polya
advocated consisted of the following four steps.

▼ Polya’s Four-Step Problem-

Solving Strategy
1. Understand the problem.
2. Devise a plan.
3. Carry out the plan.
4. Review the solution.
 Understand the Problem
• To help you focus on understanding the problem,
consider the following questions.
• ■ Can you restate the problem in your own words?
• ■ Can you determine what is known about these
types of problems?
• ■ Is there missing information that, if known, would
allow you to solve the problem?
• ■ Is there extraneous information that is not needed
to solve the problem?
• ■ What is the goal?
Devise a Plan
• Successful problem solvers use a variety of techniques when
they attempt to solve a problem. Here are some frequently
used procedures.
• ■ Make a list of the known information.
• ■ Make a list of information that is needed.
• ■ Draw a diagram.
• ■ Make an organized list that shows all the possibilities.
• ■ Make a table or a chart.
• ■ 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
• Once you have devised a plan, you must
carry it out.
• ■ 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
• Once you have found a solution, check the
solution.
• ■ Ensure that the solution is consistent with
the facts of the problem.
• ■ Interpret the solution in the context of the
problem.
• ■ Ask yourself whether there are
generalizations of the solution that could
apply to other problems.
Solution
• Understand the Problem We would not be able to
answer the question if Allison retraced her path or
traveled away from point B. Thus we 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 The map in Figure 1.2 has many
extraneous details. Thus 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 street 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 intersection directly
above.
• For instance, the number of routes to the
intersection labeled 6 is the sum of the number of
routes to the intersection to its left, which is 3,
and the number of routes to the intersection
directly above, which is also 3.
• Carry Out the Plan Using the pattern discovered
above, we see from the figure that the number of
routes from point A to point B is 20 + 15 = 35.

• 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?
A street
diagram with
the number of
routes to each
intersection
labeled.
example 2 Apply Polya’s Strategy
(Make an organized list)

• A baseball team won two out of their

last four games. In how many different
orders could they have two wins and
two losses in four games?
 Solution
• Understand the Problem There are many different
orders. The team may have won two straight games
and lost the last two (WWLL). Or maybe they lost the
first two games and won the last two (LLWW). Of
course there are other possibilities, such as WLWL.

• Devise a Plan We will make an organized list of all

the possible orders. An organized list is a list that is
produced using a system that ensures that each of
the different orders will be listed once and only once.
• Carry Out the Plan Each entry in our list must
contain two Ws and two Ls. We will use a
strategy that makes sure each order is
considered, with no duplications. One such
strategy is to always write a W unless doing so
will produce too many Ws or a duplicate of one of
the previous orders. If it is not possible to write a
W, then and only then do we write an L. This
strategy produces the six different orders shown
below.
• 1. WWLL (Start with two wins)
• 2. WLWL (Start with one win)
• 3. WLLW
• 4. LWWL (Start with one loss)
• 5. LWLW
• 6. LLWW (Start with two losses)
• Review the Solution We have made an
organized list.
• The list has no duplicates and the list considers
all possibilities, so we are confident that there are
six different orders in which a baseball team can
win exactly two out of four games.
▼ example 3 Apply Polya’s Strategy
(Solve a 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?
• Understand the Problem There are 10
teams in the league, and each team plays
exactly three games against each of the
other teams. 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. Consider a league with only four teams (denoted by
A, B, C, and D) in which each team plays each of the other
teams only once.
• The diagram illustrates that the games can be represented by
line segments that connect the points A, B, C, and D.
• Since each of the four teams will play a game against each of
the other three, we might conclude that this would result in 4 x
3 = 12 games. However, the diagram shows only six line
segments. It appears that our procedure has counted each
game twice.
• For instance, when team A plays team B, team B also plays
team A. To produce the correct result, we must divide our
previous result, 12, by 2. Hence, four teams can play each
other once in (4 x 3) /2= 6 games.
• Carry Out the Plan Using the process
developed above, we see that 10 teams
can play each other once in a total of
(10 x 9) / 2 = 45 games.
• Since each team plays each opponent
exactly three times, the total number of
games is
45 x 3 = 135.
• Review the Solution
• We could check our work by making a diagram that
includes all 10 teams represented by dots labeled A, B, C,
D, E, F, G, H, I, and J. (somewhat complicated)
• method of making an organized list. Note that BC
represents a game between team B and team C (same as
CB). Thus teams require
• 9 + 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 45 games if each
team plays every other team once, and 45 x 3 = 135
games if each team plays exactly three games against
each opponent.
▼ example 4 Apply Polya’s Strategy
(Make a table and look for a pattern)

• Determine the digit 100 places to the

right of the decimal point in the
decimal representation 7 / 27 .
• Understand the Problem Express the
fraction 7/27 as a decimal and look for a
pattern that will enable us to determine the
digit 100 places to the right of the decimal
point.
• Devise a Plan Dividing 27 into 7 by long division or
by using a calculator produces the decimal
0.259259259... .
• Since the decimal representation repeats the digits
259 over and over forever, we know that the digit
located 100 places to the right of the decimal point is
either a 2, a 5, or a 9.
• A table may help us to see a pattern and enable us to
determine which one of these digits is in the 100th
place.
• Since the decimal digits repeat every three digits, we
use a table with three columns.
• Carry Out the Plan Only in column 3 is each of
the decimal digit locations evenly divisible by 3.
• From this pattern we can tell that the 99th
decimal digit (because 99 is evenly divisible by 3)
must be a 9.
• Since a 2 always follows a 9 in the pattern, the
100th decimal digit must be a 2.
• Review the Solution The above table illustrates additional
patterns. For instance, if each of the location numbers in
column 1 is divided by 3, a remainder of 1 is produced.
• If each of the location numbers in column 2 is divided by 3, a
remainder of 2 is produced.
• Thus we can find the decimal digit in any location by dividing
the location number by 3 and examining the remainder.
• For instance, to find the digit in the 3200th decimal place of
7/27 , merely divide 3200 by 3 and examine the remainder,
which is 2.
• Thus, the digit 3200 places to the right of the decimal point is
a 5.
 ▼ example 5 Apply Polya’s Strategy
(Work backwards)
• In consecutive turns of a
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?
• Understand the Problem We need to determine the
number of dollars that Stacy had just prior to her $800
hotel purchase.
• Devise a Plan We could guess and check, but we might
need to make several guesses before we found the
correct solution.
• An algebraic method might work, but setting up the
necessary equation could be a challenge. Since we know
the end result, let’s try the method of working backwards.
• Carry Out the Plan Stacy must have had $5000 just before
she landed on Illinois Avenue; $4800 just before she passed
GO; and $9600 prior to landing on Boardwalk.
• This means she had $10,400 just before she purchased the
hotel.
• Review the Solution To check our solution we start with
$10,400 and proceed through each of the transactions.
$10,400 less $800 is $9600. Half of $9600 is $4800. $4800
increased by $200 is $5000. Half of $5000 is $2500.
MATHMATTERS A Mathematical Prodigy
• Karl Friedrich Gauss (gous) was a
scientist and mathematician. His work
encompassed several disciplines,
including number theory, analysis,
astronomy, and optics. He is known for
having shown mathematical prowess as
early as age three. It is reported that
soon after Gauss entered elementary
school, his teacher assigned the
problem of finding the sum of the first
100 natural numbers. Gauss was able
to determine the sum in a matter of a
few seconds. The following solution
shows the thought process he used.
▼ 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?
• Understand the Problem We need to
determine three distinct counting numbers,
from the list 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19,
that have a product of 4590.
• Devise a Plan If we represent the ages by x, y,
and z, then xyz = 4590. We are unable to solve
this equation, but we notice that 4590 ends in a
zero. Hence, 4590 has a factor of 2 and a factor
of 5, which means that at least one of the
numbers we seek must be an even number and
at least one number must have 5 as a factor. The
only number in our list that has 5 as a factor is 15.
Thus 15 is one of the numbers, and at least one
of the other numbers must be an even number. At
this point we try to solve by guessing and
checking.
• Carry Out the Plan
15 x 16 x 18 = 4320
• No. This product is too small.
15 x 16 x 19 = 4560
• No. This product is too small.
15 x 17 x 18 = 4590
• Yes. This is the correct product.
• The ages of the teenagers are 15, 17,
and 18.
• Review the Solution Because 15 x 17 x 18 =
4590 and each of the ages represents the age of
a teenager, we know our solution is correct. None
of the numbers 13, 14, 16, and 19 is a factor
(divisor) of 4590, so there are no other solutions.
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?
• Understand the Problem After reading the
problem for the first time, you may think
• that the jacket costs $90 and the hat costs
$10. The sum of these costs is $100, but
the cost of the jacket is only $80 more than
the cost of the hat. We need to find two
amounts that differ by $90 and whose sum
is $100.
• Devise a Plan Write an equation using h
for the cost of the hat and h + 90 for the
cost of the jacket.
h + h + 90 = 100
• Carry Out the Plan Solve the above
equation for h.
2h + 90 = 100
• Collect like terms.
2h = 10
• Solve for h.
h=5
• The cost of the hat is $5 and the cost of the
jacket is $90 + $5 = $95.
• Review the Solution The sum of the costs
is $5 + $95 = $100, and the cost of the
jacket is $90 more than the cost of the hat.
This check confirms that the hat costs $5
and the jacket costs $95.
Reading and Interpreting Graphs
• Graphs are often used to display numerical
information in a visual format that allows
the reader to see pertinent relationships
and trends quickly.
• Three of the most common types of graphs
are the bar graph, the circle graph, and the
broken-line graph.
• Figure 1.3 is a bar graph
that displays the average
U.S. movie theatre ticket
prices for the years from
2003 to 2009. The years
are displayed on the
horizontal axis. Each
vertical bar is used to
display the average ticket
price for a given year. The
higher the bar, the greater
the average ticket price for
that year.
• Figure 1.4 is a circle graph
or pie chart that uses
circular sectors to display
the percent of the films,
released in 2009, that
received a particular rating.
The size of a sector is
proportional to the percent
of films that received the
rating shown by its label.
• Figure 1.5 shows two
broken-line graphs. The
red broken-line graph
displays the median age at
first marriage for men for
the years from 2001 to
2009. The green broken
line graph displays the
median age at first
marriage for women during
the same time period. The
symbol on the vertical axis
indicates that the ages
between 0 and 25 are not
displayed.
• This break in the vertical
axis allows the graph to be
displayed in a compact
form. The segments that
connect points on the
graph indicate trends.
Increasing trends are
indicated by segments that
rise as they move to the
right, and decreasing
trends are indicated by
segments that fall as they
move to the right.
• The blue arrows in
Figure 1.5 show that the
median age at which
men married for the first
time in 2006 was 27.5
years, rounded to the
nearest half of a year.
▼ example 8 Use Graphs to Solve
Problems
• a. Use Figure 1.3 to
determine the
minimum average
U.S. movie theatre
ticket price for the
years from 2003 to
2009.
• a. The minimum of the average ticket prices is
displayed by the height of the shortest vertical bar
in Figure 1.3. Thus the minimum average U.S.
movie theatre ticket price for the years from 2003
to 2009 was $6.03, in the year 2003.
▼ example 8 Use Graphs to Solve
Problems
• b. Use Figure 1.4 to
determine the number
of films released in
2009 that received a
PG-13 rating. Round to
the nearest counting
number. Note: 511
movies were released
in 2009.
• b. Figure 1.4 indicates that 27.0% of the
511 films released in 2009 received a PG-
13 rating. Thus 0.27 . 511 ≈ 138 of the films
received a PG-13 rating in 2009.
▼ example 8 Use Graphs to Solve
Problems
• c. Use Figure 1.5 to
estimate the median
age at which women
married for the first
time in 2008. Round
to the nearest half of
a year.
• c. To estimate the median age at which women
married for the first time in 2008, locate 2008 on
the horizontal axis of Figure 1.5 and then move
directly upward to a point on the green broken-
line graph. The height of this point represents the
median age at first marriage for women in 2008,
and it can be estimated by moving horizontally to
the vertical axis on the left. Thus the median age
at first marriage for women in 2008 was 26.0
years, rounded to the nearest half of a year.
ASSIGNMENT 2

• ASSIGNMENT 3
• # 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 13 page 39
• Book by Auffman
• DUE
• Wed, Oct 14, 2019 for MWF classes
• Thur, Oct 15, 2019 for TTH classes
ASSIGNMENT 3

• #’s 1 to 25 (ODD numbers only) pages 39,40

• Exercise 1.3 of the book by Auffman
• DUE: First meeting when classes resume
END OF CHAPTER 5