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MMW Module 4

The document discusses reasoning as a human capacity for logic and understanding, distinguishing between inductive and deductive reasoning. It explains inductive reasoning as forming general conclusions from specific examples and deductive reasoning as applying general principles to reach conclusions. Additionally, it outlines Polya's four-step problem-solving strategy, which includes understanding the problem, devising a plan, carrying out the plan, and reviewing the solution.

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8 views3 pages

MMW Module 4

The document discusses reasoning as a human capacity for logic and understanding, distinguishing between inductive and deductive reasoning. It explains inductive reasoning as forming general conclusions from specific examples and deductive reasoning as applying general principles to reach conclusions. Additionally, it outlines Polya's four-step problem-solving strategy, which includes understanding the problem, devising a plan, carrying out the plan, and reviewing the solution.

Uploaded by

newgensproduction2023
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Reasoning

Reason is the capacity of consciously making sense of things, applying logic,


and adapting or justifying practices, institutions, and beliefs based on new or
existing information. It is closely associated with such characteristically
human activities as philosophy, science, language, mathematics, and art,
and is normally considered to be a distinguishing ability possessed by
humans. Reason is sometimes referred to as rationality. In mathematics,
there are generally two types of reasoning which are inductive and deductive
reasoning.

Inductive Reasoning

The type of reasoning that forms a conclusion based on the examination of


specific examples is called inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning is the
process of reaching a general conclusion by examining specific examples.
The conclusion formed by using inductive reasoning is called a conjecture,
since it may or may not be correct. It can only become a theorem once a
proof of the conjecture is established. A proof is a demonstration, or
argument, that shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that a given assertion is a
logical consequence of our axioms and definitions.

We may use inductive reasoning in our everyday life subconsciously. In unit


1, we were able to solve number patterns. When you examined the list of
numbers and predicted the next number in the list according to some pattern
you have observed, you are using inductive reasoning.

Deductive Reasoning

Another type of reasoning is called deductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning


is distinguished from inductive reasoning in that it is the process of reaching
a conclusion by applying general assumptions, procedures, or principles.

Counterexamples

A statement is a true statement if and only if it is true in all cases. If you can
find one case for which a statement is not true, called a counterexample,
then the statement is a false statement. In Example 3 we verify that each
statement is a false statement by finding a counterexample for each.

Polya’s Problem-Solving Strategy

Ancient mathematicians such as Euclid and Pappus were interested in


solvingmathematical problems, but they were also interested in heuristics,
the study of the methods and rules of discovery and invention. In the
seventeenth century, the mathematician and philosopher René Descartes
(1596-1650) contributed to the field of heuristics. He tried to develop a
universal problem-solving method. Although he did not achieve this goal, he
did publish some of his ideas in Rules for the Direction of the Mind and
his better-known work Discourse de la Methode.

Another mathematician and philosopher, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz


(1646-1716), planned to write a book on heuristics titled Art of Invention. Of
the problem-solving process, Leibnitz wrote, “Nothing is more important than
to see the sources of invention which are, in my opinion, more interesting
than the inventions themselves.”

One of the foremost recent mathematicians to make a study of problem


solving was George Polya (1887-1985). He was born in Hungary and moved
to the United States in 1940. The basic problem-solving strategy that Polya
advocated consisted of the following four steps.

Polya’s Four-Step Problem-Solving Strategy

1. Understand the problem.


2. Devise a plan.
3. Carry out the plan.
4. Review thesolution.

Polya’s four steps are deceptively simple. To become a good problem solver,
it helps to examine each of these steps and determine what is involved.

Understand the Problem: This part of Polya’s four-step strategy is often


overlooked. You must have a clear understanding of the problem. To help you
focus on understanding the problem, consider the following questions.

 Can you restate the problem in your own words?


 Can you determine what is known about these types of problems? Is
there missing information that, if known, would allow you to solve the
problem?
 Is there extraneous information that is not needed to solve the
problem?
 What is the goal?

Devise a Plan: Successful problem solvers use a variety of techniques when


they attempt to solve a problem. Here are some frequently-used procedures.

 Make a list of the known information.


 Make a list of information that is needed.
 Draw a diagram.Make an organized list that shows all the possibilities.
 Make a table or a chart.
 Work backwards.
 Try to solve a similar but simpler problem.
 Look for a pattern.
 Write an equation. If necessary, define what each variable represents.
 Perform an experiment.
 Guess at a solution and then check your result.
 Use indirect reasoning.

Carry Out the Plan: Once you have devised a plan, you must carry it out.

 Work carefully.
 Keep an accurate and neat record of all your attempts.
 Realize that some of your initial plans will not work and that you may
have to devise another plan or modify your existing plan.

Review the Solution: Once you have found a solution, check the solution.

 Ensure that the solution is consistent with the facts of the problem.
 Interpret the solution in the context of the problem.
 Ask yourself whether there are generalizations of the solution that
could apply to other problems.

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