WEEK 7

Quiz using Polya’s problem-solving strategy.

1. There are 364 first-grade students in Park Elementary School. If there are 26 more girls than
boys, how many girls are there?
ANSWER: 195 girls.
SOLUTION:
Understand the Problem: Park Elementary School has a total of 364 first-grade students. The
problem is that we need to determine how many girls there are if there are 26 more girls than
boys.
Devise a Plan: If we represent the number of boys by x, then x = boys, and x + 26 = girls. To get
the answer, we will try to use the equation x + x + 26 = 364. There are 26 more girls than boys so
subtract 26 from the total number. Then divide the result by 2. Add on 26 as there are 26 more
girls than boys. Thus, the answer is 195.
Carry out the Plan: Using the solution above, we see that Park Elementary School has 195 girls.
x + x + 26 = 364
2x = 364 – 26
(2x = 338) / 2
x = 169
169 + 26 = 195
Review the Solution: Since x represents the number of boys. 169 (boys) + 195 (girls) = 364.
Therefore, the correct answer is 195 girls.

2. A frog is at the bottom of a 17-foot well. Each time the frog leaps, it moves up 3 feet. If the frog
has not reached the top of the well, then the frog slides back 1 foot before it is ready to make
another leap. How many leaps will the frog need to escape the well?
ANSWER: 8 leaps
SOLUTION:
Understand the Problem: The given is a 17-foot well and each time the frog leaps it moves up 3
feet and slides back 1 foot before it is ready to make another leap. The problem is to determine
how many leaps the frog needs, to escape from the well.
Devise a Plan: If the frog jumps 3 feet high, then leaps back 1 foot, the total feet would be 3 - 1
or 2. Hence, each time the frog leaps it moves up 2 feet and he needs 8 leaps to escape the well.
Carry out the Plan: If 1 leap is 3 – 1 = 2 feet, then the distance leap is = 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 =
14 ft. However, the last leap is 3 feet since the frog does not slide back because it already
reaches the top. We need to add 3ft to the 8th leap, 14 ft + 3ft = 17 ft. Therefore, the frog needs
8 leaps to escape from the well.
Review the Solution: We can check our work by dividing 17 feet well by 2 feet, leaving with the
result of 8 with a remainder of 1. Discard the remainder because the last leap is 3 feet and you
get the final answer as 8 leaps.

3. The number of ducks and pigs in a field totals 35. The total number of legs among them is 98.
Assuming each duck has exactly two legs and each pig has exactly four legs, determine how
many ducks and how many pigs are in the field?
 ANSWER: 14 pigs and 21 ducks
SOLUTION:
Understand the Problem: Given there are a total of 35 ducks and pigs in a field and the total
number of legs among them is 98. Each duck has 2 legs and each pig has 4 legs. The problem is
to determine how many ducks and how many pigs are in the field.
Devise a Plan: Let the number of ducks = x, and the number of pigs = y, x + y = 35. Also, given
there are 98 legs in total among them, then 2x + 4y = 98.
Carry out the Plan: Solve equations 1 and 2 by multiplying equation 1 with ‘2’ and subtracting it
from equation 2.
2 (x + y) = 35 (2)
2x + 2y = 70
(2x + 2y) - (2x+4y) = 98 – 70
2y = 28
y=14
Subtract the total number of animals in the field by the number of pigs, 35-14 = 21. Therefore,
the number of pigs is 14 and the number of ducks is 21.
Review the Solution: To review if our answer is correct, we can check the sum of the number of
ducks and pigs and we get 14+21=35. We can also check the sum of the legs of ducks and pigs
14(4) + 21(2) = 56+42 is equal to 98.

4. Four people on one side of a river need to cross the river in a boat that can carry a maximum
load of 180 pounds. The weights of the people are 80, 100, 150, and 170 pounds.
a. Explain how the people can use the boat to get everyone to the opposite side of the river.
b. What is the minimum number of crossings that must be made by the boat?
SOLUTION:
Understand the Problem: Given that there are four people who need to cross the river in a boat
that can carry a maximum of 180 pounds. We need to explain how people can use the boat to
get everyone on the opposite side of the river and we need to determine the minimum number
of crossings that must be made.
Devise a Plan: Since the boat carries a maximum load of 180 pounds. Therefore, people with
weights 80 and 100 will cross together and people with weights 150 and 170 will cross alone.
Carry out the Plan:
1: First, people with weights 80 and 100 cross the river.
2: A person of weight 100 returns back by leaving a person of weight 80 opposite side of the
river.
3: A person whose weight is 150 takes the boat and crosses the river and stops opposite the side
of the river.
4: Now person whose weight is 80 takes the boat to the person whose weight is 150 and returns
back.
5: Now again people with weights 80 and 100 cross the river.
6: A person with a weight of 100 returns back by leaving the person of weight 80.
7: A person whose weight is 170 takes the boat and crosses the river.
8: Now person whose weight is 80 takes the boat to the person whose weight is 170 and returns
back.
 9: Finally, people with weights 80 and 100 cross the river. And all people have reached the
opposite sides of the river.
Review the solution: From above, we find that a minimum of 9 crossings are required to cross
the river.

5. 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?
ANSWER: The hat costs $5 and the jacket costs $95.
SOLUTION:
Understand the Problem: Given that the jacket costs $90 more than the hat. The sum of these
costs is $100, and we need to find the cost of the hat and the cost of the jacket.
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.
h + h + 90 = 100
2h + 90 = 100
2h = 100 - 90
2h = 10
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.