Problem
Problem Solving
Solving
Strategies
Strategies II
Guess & Check
Draw a diagram
Working backwards
Problem 1
You are required to use
numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7 and 8 only to be put
inside the 8 squares.
The condition is that
the neighboring
numbers must not be
put next to each other,
either above, below,
left, right or diagonally.
Problem 2
• How would you place these digits 1, 2, 3,
4, 5 and 6 in the circles as below such
that the sum at all the sides of the
triangle is 11 or 12.
3 ways of “Guess &
Check”
• Guess & check at random
• Systematic guess & check
• Guess & check by inference
Step 1 : understand the problem
Guess & check at random
Step 2 : Make a plan
• Take 6 pieces of paper
• Write the digits 1 to 6
Step 3 : Implement the plan
• Arrange the 6 pieces of paper in an
equilateral triangle
• Check if the total at all the sides
• Arrange until you get 12 at all the sides
Systematic guess & check
Step 2 : Make a plan
• Put the 3 smaller numbers at the vertices
Step 3 : Implement the plan
• Put 1, 2 & 3 at the vertices
• Total at all the sides are too small
• Try 1, 2 & 4 and so on
• Until you put 4, 5 & 6 at the vertices
Alternative:
Put 3 bigger numbers at the vertices
Guess & check by inference
Step 2 : Make a plan/conjecture
• A particular number must be at the top of the
triangle
• Investigate possibilities that arise
Step 3 : Implement the plan
• If 1 is put there, then we need 11 to form 12
on two of the sides
• Only one combination that gives 11, i.e. 5 & 6
• So 1 cannot be put there
• What if 2? 3? 4?
Step 4 : Looking back
• Is the solution correct?
• Is there easier way to get the
solution?
Problem 3
• Mary hits the dartboard shown below
with 4 darts. Each dart hits a
different number. Her total score
was 60. How might she have scored
60?
15 7 19
10 31 17
9 25 5
Guess & Check
• Guess & check by random is usually used as
a start in solving a problem
• But it requires too many trials and can be
confusing or misleading
• Guess & check systematically enables us to
expand a scheme to try all possibilities
• Guess & check by inference saves time &
gives more information about all the
possible solutions
Find the maximum product
x 8
Problem 4
Cylinder A can be used to contain exactly
9 liters of water. Cylinder B can be used
to contain exactly 4 liters of water.
By using cylinders A and B only, explain
how can you measure exactly 6 liters of
water?
Working Backwards
• A strategy that is used when the outcome
of a situation is known, and the initial
conditions are required
• When we work backwards, the operations
required by the original action will have to
be reversed
• Example: subtraction replaces addition,
division replaces multiplication, and vice
versa
Problem 5
• Jimmy was trying a number trick on
Sally. He told her to pick a number,
add 5 to it, multiply the sum by 3,
then subtract 10 and double the
result
• Sally’s final answer was 28
• What number did Sally start with?
Problem 6
• Freddy Frog is at the bottom of a
well 10m deep. Each hour he climbs
up 1m and then falls back 0.5m. How
long is it before Freddy is out of the
well?
Draw a diagram
• Paper and pencil simulation of the
action described in a problem
• Enable students to convert a verbal
situation into a visual representation
• Remove destructors, recognize facts,
understand relationships in the
problem
Problem 7
• If posts are spaced 10m apart, how
many posts are needed for 100m of
straight-line fence?
Problem 8
• Sylvia dropped a tennis ball from a balcony
16 feet above the side walk. Each time the
ball bounced, it travelled half as high on
the previous bounce. Sylvia’s brother
caught the ball when it bounced exactly 1
foot from the sidewalk. How many times
did the ball bounced?
