Task 1 I. Problem: Cognitive

TASK 1
I. Problem
A question raised for consideration or solution
Problem soving
Higher-order cognitive process that requires the modulation and control of more routine or
fundamental skills.
II. Routine problem solving

From the curricular point of view, routine problem solving involves using at least one
of the four arithmetic operations and/or ratio to solve problems that are practical in nature.
Routine problem solving concerns to a large degree the kind of problem solving that serves a
socially useful function that has immediate and future payoff. Children typically do routine
problem solving as early as age 5 or 6. They combine and separate things such as toys in the
course of their normal activities. Adults are regularly called upon to do simple and complex
routine problem solving. Here is an example.
A sales promotion in a store advertises a jacket regularly priced at $125.98 but now selling
for 20% off the regular price. The store also waives the tax. You have $100 in your pocket (or
$100 left in your charge account). Do you have enough money to buy the jacket?
Non-routine problem solving

Non-routine problem solving serves a different purpose than routine problem
solving. While routine problem solving concerns solving problems that are useful for daily
living (in the present or in the future), non-routine problem solving concerns that only
indirectly. Non-routine problem solving is mostly concerned with developing students’
mathematical reasoning power and fostering the understanding that mathematics is a
creative Endeavour. From the point of view of students, non-routine problem solving can be
challenging and interesting. From the point of view of planning classroom instruction,
teachers can use non-routine problem solving to introduce ideas (EXPLORATORY stage of
teaching); to deepen and extend understandings of algorithms, skills, and concepts
(MAINTENANCE stage of teaching); and to motivate and challenge students (EXPLORATORY
and MAINTENANCE stages of teaching). There are other uses as well. Having students do
non-routine problem solving can encourage the move from specific to general thinking; in
other words, encourage the ability to think in more abstract ways. From the point of view of
students growing to adulthood, that ability is becoming more important in today’s
technological, complex, and demanding world.
Non-routine problem solving can be seen as evoking an ‘I tried this and I tried that,
and eureka, I finally figured it out.’ reaction. That involves a search for heuristics (strategies
seeking to discover). There is no convenient model or solution path that is readily available to
apply to solving a problem. That is in sharp contrast to routine problem solving where there
are readily identifiable models (the meanings of the arithmetic operations and the associated
templates) to apply to problem situations.
The following is an example of a problem that concerns non-routine problem solving.
Consider what happens when 35 is multiplied by 41. The result is 1435. Notice that all four
digits of the two multipliers reappear in the product of 1435 (but they are rearranged). One
could call numbers such as 35 and 41 as pairs of stubborn numbers because their digits
reappear in the product when the two numbers are multiplied together
III.
TASK 2
POLYA’S MODEL
George Polya, a Hungarian who is migrated to United States in 1940. His major
contribution in world of mathematics is in problem solving. He was an excellent problem
solver but frustrated with his memorizing skill. Early on his age, his uncle convinced him to go
into mathematic field but all he wanted that time is to study in law like he late father had.
After a while at school of law, he became bored because of the need of memorizing so many
facts in case of he had memorizing problem. He tired of that and switched to Biology and
switched again to Latin and Literature, and finally graduated with a degree. Then, he tired of
that quickly and went back to school and took math and physics. He fell in love with
mathematics.
His first job was to become a tutor to Gregor the young son of a baron who is lack of problem
solving skill. He spent hours and developed a method of problem solving that would help
Gregor as well as others who are in the same boat with Gregor. He was invited to teach in
Zurich, Switzerland and worked with Dr. Weber. He then met with doctor’s daughter, Stella
and finally married her. They spent 67 years together. He and his wife moved to US in 1940
because of concerning of Nazism in Germany. He taught briefly at Brown University and then
Stanford University for his whole life. He became popular and well known in problem solving
method. He taught many classes on how to motivate and teach skills in the area of problem
solving to their student. He published the book How to Solve It? In 1945 and became his
most prized publication that had been sold for over millions copies and translated to 17
languages.
In the book, he identifies four basic principles in solving a problem that is
understanding the problem, devising a plan, carrying out the plan, and looking back. The First
Principle understands the problem, which is you can explain back the question using your
own word and try to come up with a decisive idea and concentrate to the aim of the
question. Try asking yourself what are you looking for and then you had to find out what is
the unknown. Write down the QED (Quod Erat Demonstradum) that is the question you need
to answer.
The Second Principle is devising a plan, which are you have to look for the pattern
between data and unknown. Examine the related problem so that you can determine
whether the same technique can be applied or not. You have to examine a simpler or special
case of the problem to gain insight into the solution of the original problem. Try to make
table or diagram using the data to help you in solving the problem. Then, use guess and
check method. After that, work backward. Identify a subgoal using visual thinking. A list of
strategies written below:
 Guess and check  Look for a pattern

 Make and orderly list  Draw a picture
 Eliminate possibilities  Solve a simpler problem
 Use symmetry  Use a model
 Consider special cases  Work backward
 Use direct reasoning  Use a formula
 Solve an equation  Be ingenious
The Third Principle is carrying out the plan. This step is usually easier than devising a
plan. All you need is care and patient given that you have the necessary skills. You have to
implement the strategies in step 2 and perform any necessary actions or communications.
After that, check each step of the plan as you proceed and this may be intuitive checking or a
formal proof each step. Then, record you work accurately.
The Fourth Principle is looking back. Examine the solution in the original problem. But, in
some cases, this will require a proof. Then, interpret the solution in terms of original problem
and ask yourself whether your answer make sense and is it reasonable with the problem
given. After you get the answer, determine whether there is another method of finding
solution. If possible, determine other related or more general problems for which the
technique will work effectively.
NON-ROUTINE PROBLEM
1. Place the digits 9,4, 7, 6, 5, 1, in the boxes in order to get the largest result.
[ ][ ] x [ ][ ] + [ ] x [ ] = ?
Answer:
[9][5] * [7][6] + [4] * [1] = 7224
2. According to experts the first 4 moves in a chess game can be played in 197299
totally different ways. If it takes 30 seconds to make one move, how long would it
take one player to try every possible set of 4 moves?
Answer:
30 seconds * 4 * 197299 = 23675880 seconds
3. Rachel opened her math book and found that the sum of the facing pages was 243.
What pages did she open to?
Answer:
243/2 = 121.5
121.5 pages are whole numbers therefore the pages are 121 and 122
4. There are 12 people in a room. 6 people are wearing socks and 4 people are wearing
shoes, 3 people are wearing both. How many people are in bare feet?
Answer:

:12 - 7 = 5 people in bare feet!
TASK 3
LOOK FOR A PATTERN
An ice cream stand has nine different flavours. A group of children come to the stand and each buys a
double scoop cone with two flavours of ice cream. If none of the children choose the same
combination of flavours, and every different combination of flavors is chosen, how many children are
there?
FLAVOURS
1 Vanilla
2 Maple
3 Chocolate
4 Tiger
5 Raspberry
6 Strawberry
7 Coffee
8 Moon Mist
9 Cherry Vanilla
Answer:
The number of children = number of different combinations of
two different flavours.
1,2 2,3 3,4 4,5 5,6 6,7 7,8 8,9

1,3 2,4 3,5 4,6 5,7 6,8 7,9
1,4 2,5 3,6 4,7 5,8 6,9
1,5 2,6 3,7 4,8 5,9
1,6 2,7 3,8 4,9
1,7 2,8 3,9
1,8 2,9
1,9
36 = 8 + 7 + 6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1
There are 36 children.

USE A FORMULA
A grocery store has a sale on bananas. If you buy six bananas you get the sale price. If the grocer has
489 bananas how many bunches of six can he sell at his sale price? In this case how many can be sold
at the regular price?
Answer:
489 divided by 6 equals 81 with a remainder of 3
He casn sell 81 bunches, which wuld leave him 3 to sell at regular
price.
WORK BACKWARD
In 1989 the price of a soccer ball was $8.00. A financial analyst predicted that the price would rise
$0.25/year for the next 10 years. In what year will the price be $9.75?
Answer:
$9.75 - $8.00 = $1.75
$1.75/$0.25/yr = 7 years
Therefore, 1989 + 7 = 1996

Task 1 I. Problem: Cognitive

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TASK 1

A question raised for consideration or solution

II. Routine problem solving

Non-routine problem solving

 Guess and check  Look for a pattern

LOOK FOR A PATTERN

1,2 2,3 3,4 4,5 5,6 6,7 7,8 8,9

There are 36 children.

$1.75/$0.25/yr = 7 years

Therefore, 1989 + 7 = 1996

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