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Problem Solving and Reasoning - Polya's Problem Solving Strategy

This document summarizes George Polya's four-step process for problem solving: 1) Understand the problem, 2) Devise a plan, 3) Carry out the plan, and 4) Look back. It provides examples of each step using a sample math problem. Problem solving is an essential skill for many fields, and Polya's approach provides a structured method for developing problem solving abilities.

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misssunshine112
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444 views

Problem Solving and Reasoning - Polya's Problem Solving Strategy

This document summarizes George Polya's four-step process for problem solving: 1) Understand the problem, 2) Devise a plan, 3) Carry out the plan, and 4) Look back. It provides examples of each step using a sample math problem. Problem solving is an essential skill for many fields, and Polya's approach provides a structured method for developing problem solving abilities.

Uploaded by

misssunshine112
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Have A Problem???

✔“How To Solve It!”

✔ Polya’s Four Step Problem Solving


Process
Why Problem Solving??
✔ Once, at an informal meeting, a
social scientist asked a math
professor, “What’s the main goal of
teaching mathematics?” The reply
was, “Problem solving.”

✔ In return, the mathematician


asked, “What is the main goal of
teaching the social sciences?”
Once more the answer was,
“Problem solving.”
Who Solves Problems??
– All successful engineers,
scientists, social scientists,
lawyers, accountants, doctors,
business managers, and so on,
have to be good problem
solvers.
– Although the problems that
people encounter may be very
diverse, there are common
elements and an underlying
structure that can help to
facilitate problem solving.
Pólya: “The Father of Problem Solving”
– George Pólya was a
Hungarian mathematician.

– He made fundamental
contributions to
combinatorics, number
theory, numerical analysis
and probability theory. He is
also noted for his work in
heuristics and
mathematics education.
Pólya: “The Father of Problem Solving”

✔Heuristics

• Where an exhaustive search is impractical, heuristic


methods are used to speed up the process of finding a
satisfactory solution via mental shortcuts.

• Examples of this method include using a rule of thumb,


an educated guess, an intuitive judgment, stereotyping, or
common sense.
Pólya: “The Father of Problem Solving”

✔Heuristics

• Heuristic (Greek: "find" or "discover") refers to


experience-based techniques for problem solving,
learning, and discovery that gives a solution
which is not guaranteed to be optimal.
Polya's Problem Solving Techniques”
– In 1945 George Polya published the book How To
Solve It which quickly became his most prized
publication.
– It sold over one million copies and has been
translated into 17 languages.
– In this book he identifies four basic principles of
problem solving..
Step 1: Understand the Problem
✔ Identify what you are trying
to find.
✔ Summarize the information
that is available in your own
words.
✔ Determine if the information
available is enough, ie. Do you
need a formula, etc.?
✔ Strip the problem of irrelevant
details.
✔ Don’t impose conditions that
do not exist.
Step 2: Devise a Plan

✔ Is this problem similar to another problem you have


solved?
✔ Can one of the Problem Solving Strategies be used?
✔ Often a considerable amount of creativity is required to
formulate a plan.
Strategies for Problem Solving
A Strategy is defined as an artful means to an end.

✔ Make a chart or ✔ Guess, test, and


table. revise.
✔ Look for a pattern. ✔ Use a variable.
✔ Draw a picture or ✔ Design a model.
diagram. ✔ Try a simpler
✔ Eliminate impossible version of the
situations. problem.
✔ Work Backwards. ✔ Use reasoning.
Step 3: Carry Out the Plan
✔ Implement the strategy or
strategies that you have
chosen until the problem is
solved or until a new course
of action is suggested.
✔ Give yourself a reasonable
✔ Don’t expect to solve
amount of time in which to correctly and immediately
solve the problem. If you all problems. Problem
are not successful, seek Solving takes time and
hints from others or put the persistence.
problem aside for awhile. ✔ Don’t be afraid of starting
over. Often, a fresh start
and a new strategy will lead
to success.
Step 4: Look Back
✔ Interpret the results into a
sentence with your own words.
✔ Check the results to be sure the
solution is correct.
✔ Does your answer satisfy the
statement of the problem? Does
it make sense?
✔ Ask if there is another way to
solve the problem.
✔ Ask if there are other problems
that can be solved by using the
same techniques used in this
problem.
✔ Make a point of thinking about
the strategy that finally worked
for this type of problem for future
reference.
Steps To Solve a Problem
A Sample of the Process in Action

– Problem:
– Find the sum of

1 1 1 1
+ 2 + 3 +...+ 10
2 2 2 2
✔Let’s try Step 1:
✔Understand the Problem
Step 1: Understand the Problem
✔ This problem will require getting
a common denominator, here
210, converting each fraction,
and finding the sum of the
numerators.
✔ This is obviously a long and
tedious process.

✔ Maybe there is a quicker


way to solve the problem...
Step 2: Devise a Plan
✔ Instead of doing a direct calculation, let’s combine some of
the suggested strategies.
✔ Namely, make a list of the first few sums and look for a
pattern.
Step 3: Carry Out the Plan
1 1 1 3 1 1 1 7 1 1 1 1 15
, + = , + + = , + + + =
2 2 4 4 2 4 8 8 2 4 8 16 16
✔ The pattern of sums,

1 3 7 15
, , ,
2 4 8 16

✔ suggests that the sum of the ten


fractions is 2 − 1 1023
10

10
, or .
2 1024
Step 4: Look Back
✔ This method of combining
the strategy of Solve a
Simpler Problem with
Make a List and Look for a
Pattern is very useful.
✔ For example, what is the
sum
✔ Because of the large
denominators, you
wouldn’t want to add
1 1 1
+ 2 + ... + 100 ? these fractions directly.
2 2 2
Problem Solving Recap...
✔ When presenting the problem
solving process and the
sample problem, great care
was taken to label and display
each of the four steps.
Clearly, this is not necessary
every time you work a
problem.

✔ On the other hand, it is a good


idea to get into the habit of
recalling the four steps as you
plan and as you work through
a problem.
Problem Solving Recap...

✔ The steps and strategies will


be especially helpful when
you are making a plan.

✔ As you are planning to solve a


problem, think of the
strategies as a collection of
tools which you may select
from and utilize to
successfully solve your
problem.
Final Suggestions from
Successful Problem Solvers
✔ Accept the challenge of ✔ Experience in problem
solving a problem. solving is very valuable.
Work lots of problems; your
✔ Take time to explore, reflect,
confidence will grow.
think, …
✔ There is nothing like a
✔ Talk to yourself. Ask yourself breakthrough, an “Aha!”, as
lots of questions. you solve your problems.
✔ Many problems require an ✔ Always, always look back.
incubation period. If you get Try to see precisely what the
frustrated, do not hesitate to key step was in your solution
take a break - your and make a mental note for
subconscious may take over. future reference.
But do return to try again. ✔ Enjoy yourself! Solving a
problem is a positive
experience.
Credits:
✔ PowerPoint
Presentation by…
✔John P. Ashby
✔ Course: ED 488
✔ Instructor: Susan Pride
✔ Semester: Fall, 1999
✔ Date: November 11, 1999
✔ Title: How To Solve It
✔ Software Package: Microsoft
PowerPoint

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