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How to Solve Problems

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2 views

How to Solve Problems

Uploaded by

alina.a.trofimova
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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How to Solve Problems/Principles of Problem Solving

There are no hard and fast rules that will ensure success in solving problems. However, it
is possible to outline some general steps in the problem-solving process and to give some
principles that may be useful in the solution of certain problems. These steps and
principles are just common sense made explicit. They have been adapted from George
Polya's book How To Solve It.

[1] Understand the Problem

The first step is to read the problem and make sure you understand it clearly. Ask
yourself the following questions:

What is the unknown?


What are the given quantities?
What are the given conditions?

For many problems it is useful to

draw a diagram

and identify the given and required quantities on the diagram.

Usually it is necessary to

introduce suitable notation

In choosing symbols for the unknown quantities we often use letters such as a, b, c, m, n,
x, and y, but in some cases it helps to use initials as suggestive symbols; for instance, V
for volume or t for time.

[2] Think of a Plan

Find a connection between the given information and the unknown that will enable you to
calculate the unknown. It often helps to ask yourself explicitly: "How can I relate the
given to the unknown?" If you don't see a connection immediately, the following ideas
may be helpful in devising a plan.

Try to Recognize Something Familiar Relate the given situation to previous


knowledge. Look at the unknown and try to recall a more familiar problem that has a
similar unknown.

Try to Recognize Patterns Some problems are solved by recognizing some kind of
pattern is occurring. The pattern could be geometric, or numerical, or algebraic. If you
can see regularity or repetition in a problem, you might be able to guess what the
continuing pattern is and then prove it.
Use Analogy Try to think of an analogous problem, that is, a similar problem, a related
problem, but one that is easier than the original problem. If you can solve the similar,
simpler problem, then it might give you the clues you need to solve the original, more
difficult problem. For instance, if a problem involves very large numbers, you could first
try a similar problem with smaller numbers. Or if the problem involves three-dimensional
geometry, you could look for a similar problem in two-dimensional geometry. Or if the
problem you start with is a general one, you could first try a special case.

Introduce Something Extra It may sometimes be necessary to introduce something


new, an auxiliary aid, to help make the connection between the given and the unknown.
For instance, in a problem where a diagram is useful the auxiliary aid could be a new line
drawn in a diagram. In a more algebraic problem it could be a new unknown that is
related to the original unknown.

Take Cases We may sometimes have to split a problem into several cases and give a
different argument for each of the cases. For instance, we often have to use this strategy
in dealing with absolute value.

Work Backward Sometimes it is useful to imagine that your problem is solved and work
backward, step by step, until you arrive at the given data. Then you may be able to
reverse your steps and thereby construct a solution to the original problem. This is a
common tactic when proving algebraic identities.

Establish Subgoals In a complex problem it is often useful to set subgoals (in which the
desired situation is only partially fulfilled). If we can first reach these subgoals, then we
may be able to build on them to reach our final goal.

Indirect Reasoning/Proof by Contradiction Sometimes it is appropriate to attack a


problem indirectly. In using proof by contradiction to prove that P implies Q, we assume
that P is true and Q is false and try to see why this can't happen. Somehow we have to use
this information and arrive at a contradiction to what we absolutely know is true.

Mathematical Induction In proving statements that involve a positive integer n, it is


frequently helpful to use the principle of mathematical induction. Sometimes it may be
necessary to use complete (strong) induction.

[3] Carry Out The Plan

In Step 2 a plan was devised. In carrying out that plan we have to check each stage of the
plan and write the details that prove that each stage is correct.

[4] Look Back

Having completed our solution, it is wise to look back over it, partly to see if we have
made errors in the solution and partly to see if we can think of an easier way to solve the
problem. Another reason for looking back is that it will familiarize us with the method of
solution and this may be useful for solving a future problem. Descartes said, "Every
problem that I solved became a rule which served afterwards to solve other problems."

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