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Unit 4 Problem Solving

The document discusses the importance of problem solving in mathematics education, emphasizing a constructivist approach where learners engage actively through doing and testing. It outlines George Pólya's four-step problem-solving process: understanding the problem, devising a plan, carrying out the plan, and looking back at the solution. Additionally, it highlights the teacher's role in facilitating problem-solving by asking clarifying questions and encouraging metacognition among students.

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27 views4 pages

Unit 4 Problem Solving

The document discusses the importance of problem solving in mathematics education, emphasizing a constructivist approach where learners engage actively through doing and testing. It outlines George Pólya's four-step problem-solving process: understanding the problem, devising a plan, carrying out the plan, and looking back at the solution. Additionally, it highlights the teacher's role in facilitating problem-solving by asking clarifying questions and encouraging metacognition among students.

Uploaded by

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

Unit 4

Problem solving
Maths is about learning to think!
Traditional thinking: teachers teach by telling; learners learn by listening.
Constructivist/ developmental thinking: learners learn by doing, testing, asking,
making sense of pattern and order.

Problem solving is a major tool in getting learners actively involved in the


learning/thinking process. Charles & Lester identify these 3 factors of problem
solving:

DESIRE BLOCKAGE
EFFORT

George Pólya (1945) in his book How to solve it suggested 4 steps in the
problem solving process:

UNDERSTAND CARRY OUT


WHAT IS BEING THE PLAN
ASKED

PROBLEM
DEVISE A LOOK BACK AT
PLAN OF
ATTACK THE PROBLEM,
YOUR ANSWER
AND HOW YOU
In the real world GOT THERE.
there is no teacher,
answer book to tell you Is the answer justifiable? Is
whether your reasoning there a more efficient way? Can
is correct or not. the problem itself be extended/
generalised/ modified?
Solving problems with George

 DO YOU UNDERSTAND ALL THE


UNDERSTANDING WORDS?
THE PROBLEM  CAN YOU RESTATE THE PROBLEM
IN YOUR OWN WORDS?
 DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS
GIVEN?
 DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE
GOAL IS?
 IS THERE ENOUGH
INFORMATION?
 IS THERE UNNECESSARY
INFORMATION?
 IS THIS PROBLEM SIMILAR
TO ANOTHER PROBLEM
YOU HAVE SOLVED?

 GUESS AND TEST


 USE A VARIABLE
DEVISE A PLAN
 DRAW A PICTURE
 LOOK FOR A PATTERN
 MAKE A LIST
 SOLVE A SIMPLER PROBLEM
 SOLVE AN EQUATION
 USE A MODEL
 WORK BACKWARD

CARRY OUT THE  IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGY


YOU HAVE CHOSEN
PLAN  START OVER IF THE PLAN
DOES NOT WORK

LOOK BACK  IS YOUR SOLUTION


CORRECT?
 DOES YOUR ANSWER
SATISFY THE STATEMENT?
 IS THERE AN EASIER WAY?
THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER:

Before Action: ask questions to clarify the


problem. Do not explain the problem.
Help the learner focus on what he knows
already and what he needs to know to
solve the problem.

During Action: help learners plan a


strategy. You might suggest drawing a
picture or trying a simpler version of the
same problem. Is there a pattern? Hint at
a useful starting point.

Encourage
After Action: debrief the class. Let the
metacognition:
learners explain how they found a
continuous and
solution. Ask questions like, “Tell me
conscious monitoring
what you were thinking”; “How did
– how and why am I
your group get to that answer?”;
doing this? Poor
“Group 2, does group 1’s method make
problem solvers do
not know why they sense to you? Is it like yours?”

are using a specific


Eg: Farmer Smith counts his pigs and
strategy, nor can
chickens. There are 22 animals in all, and
they tell if it is there were 60 legs in all. How many pigs
working or not. and chickens were there?

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