Inductive and Deductive

Reasoning

Polya’s Steps to Problem Solving

George Polya
Published the book “ How to Solve it: A New Aspect of Mathematics”.

Encouraged to promote a more liberal approach of solving problems giving

more emphasis on students’ independence and less on routine computation
processes.
Advocated inductive processes
Four Phases
1.Preparation: Understand the problem
2. Thinking Time: Devise a plan
3. Insight: Carry out the plan
4. Verification: Look back
1. Understand the problem
Guide questions:
a. What is unknown?
b. What are the data?
c. Is it possible to satisfy the condition?
d. Is the condition sufficient to determine the unknown?
e. Draw a figure, intoduce suitable notation.
f. Separate the various parts if the condition, can you write them
down?
2. Device a plan
Guide questions:
a. Have you seen it before? Or have you seen the same problem in a slightly different form?
b. Do you know a related problem? Do you know a theorem that could be useful?
c. If a related problem is available, could you use it? Could you see its results? Coud you use
this method?
• Guess and check • Look for a pattern
• Make an orderly list • Draw a picture
• Eliminate possibilities • Solve a simpler problem
• Use a model
• Consider special cases • Work backwards
• Use direct reasoning• Use a formula
• Solve an equation • Be ingenious
3. Carry out the plans
Perform each step with care and precision. Keep a record of every
result that you obtain. If you get affirmative results, just keep going,
there is a next stage of the process.

If things do not turn out to be as what you expected, then keep your
alternatives open as you may need to revisit your plan.
4. Look back
Review your solution.

Go back to the original problem and check if the obtained solution is

sufficient and consistent with what is asked.
 Problem
During a family gathering last Christmas, Mario was able to collect 12
monetary bill consisting of P20-bill and P50-bill from her titos and titas.
In all, she had P390 from them. How many of each bill did angel
receive?
1. Understand the problem
During a family gathering last Christmas, Mario was able to collect 12 monetary bill
consisting of P20-bill and P50-bill from her titos and titas.
In all, she had P390 from them. How many of each bill did angel receive?

Guide questions:
a. What is unknown?
b. What are the data?
c. Is it possible to satisfy the condition?
d. Is the condition sufficient to determine the unknown?
e. Draw a figure, intoduce suitable notation.
f. Separate the various parts if the condition, can you write them down?
1. Understand the problem
During a family gathering last Christmas, Mario was able to collect 12
monetary bill consisting of P20-bill and P50-bill from her titos and titas.
In all, she had P390 from them. How many of each bill did angel receive?

12 monetary bill
P20-bill and P50-bill from titos and titas
Total: P390
The number of P20-bill did angel receive.
The number of P50-bill did angel receive.
2. Device a plan
• Guess and check • Look for a pattern
• Make an orderly list • Draw a picture
• Eliminate possibilities • Solve a simpler problem
• Use a model
• Consider special cases • Work backwards
• Use direct reasoning • Use a formula
• Solve an equation • Be ingenious
3. Carry out the plans
Number of 20 pesos bill Number of 50 peso bill Total Amount

11 1

10 2

8 3

7 4

6 5
4. Look back
20 pesos bill 50 peso bill Total
11 1 270
10 2 300
9 3 330
8 4 360
7 5 390
6 6 420
5 7 450
4 8 480
3 9 510
2 10 540
1 11 570
Ed is planning to put up a rectangular garden
with a fixed area of 120 square meters. If the
dimensions of the garden have to be whole
numbers, determine the dimensions that will
require the least amount of fencing materials
to enclose garden.
1. Understand the problem
Ed is planning to put up a rectangular garden with a fixed area of 120
square meters. If the dimensions of the garden have to be whole
numbers, determine the dimensions that will require the least amount
of fencing materials to enclose garden.

Rectangular Garden with area of 120 square meters

Dimensions must be whole numbers
Least amount of fencing materials to enclose the garden
2. Device a plan
• Guess and check • Look for a pattern
• Make an orderly list • Draw a picture
• Eliminate possibilities • Solve a simpler problem
• Use symmetry • Use a model
• Consider special cases • Work backwards
• Use direct reasoning • Use a formula
• Solve an equation • Be ingenious
3. Carry out the plans
Length Width Area Permeter
120 1 120 242
60 2 120 124
40 3 120 86
30 4 120 68
24 5 120 58
20 6 120 52
15 8 120 46
12 10 120 44
10 12 120 44
4. Look back
20 pesos bill 50 peso bill Total
11 1 270
10 2 300
9 3 330
8 4 360
7 5 390
6 6 420
5 7 450
4 8 480
3 9 510
2 10 540
1 11 570
Sample Problems:

• One number is 3 less than another number. If the sum of the

two numbers is 177, find each number.

• A zookeeper is moving penguins and polar bears into their

new exhibit. He counts 20 heads and 58 feet. How many
penguins and polar bears are in the exhibit?
• The sum of 3 consecutive integers is 258. Find the integers.

• The ages of 3 sisters are 3 consecutive even integers. If the sum of

twice the first even integer, 3 times the second even integer and the
third integer is 34, find each age.