STEM Excellence Series: Empowering the Next Generation

PROBLEM SOLVING

Problem Solving

Definition Of Problem Solving

The procedure used to solve a problem is called Problem Solving.

More About Problem Solving

Some of the problems solving strategies are: drawing a diagram, looking for the pattern, guess and check, trial and error, working forward and backward, etc.

Video Examples: 7 Step Problem Solving

Example of Problem Solving

Suppose Elisa collected 5 stamps on Monday, 10 stamps on Tuesday, and 15 stamps on Wednesday. If she continues the pattern, then, by Friday, she will be having 25 stamps, because the rule for the given pattern is 'multiples of 5' i.e. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25,...

Solved Example on Problem Solving

Ques: Stephen wrote a test that had 45 questions. He marked 12 questions wrong. How many questions did he mark right?
Identify the strategy that would help you to solve the problem.

Choices:

A. 40 - 10 = 30; 5 - 2 = 3; 30 + 3 = 33
B. 40 + 10 = 50; 5 + 2 = 7; 50 + 7 = 57
C. 40 - 10 = 30; 5 - 2 = 3; 30 - 3 = 27
D. 40 - 10 = 30; 5 - 1 = 4; 30 + 4 = 34
Correct Answer: A

Solution:

Step 1: Number of questions Stephen marked correct = 45 - 12
Step 2: 45 = 4 tens + 5 ones; and 12 = 1 ten + 2 ones
Step 3: 45 - 12 = (4 tens + 5 ones) - (1 ten + 2 ones) = (4 tens - 1 ten) + (5 ones - 2 ones)
Step 4: = (40 - 10) + (5 - 2) = 30 + 3 = 33
Step 5: So, the strategy '40 - 10 = 30; 5 - 2 = 3; 30 + 3 = 33' would help to solve the problem.

Quick Summary

  • Problem solving involves various strategies.
  • Common strategies include drawing diagrams, pattern recognition, and trial and error.
  • Problem solving is applicable across many disciplines.
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🍎 Teacher Insights

Encourage students to visualize problems and break them down into smaller, manageable steps. Promote collaboration and discussion of different solution approaches.

🎓 Prerequisites

    Check Your Knowledge

    Q1: Stephen had 45 questions on a test and got 12 wrong. How many did he get right?

    Q2: Elisa collects stamps. She collected 5 stamps on Monday, 10 on Tuesday, and 15 on Wednesday. Following this pattern, how many will she have by Friday?

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Q: What are some basic problem-solving strategies?
    A: Drawing diagrams, looking for patterns, guess and check, and working backward are a few examples.

    Q: Why is problem-solving important?
    A: It helps develop critical thinking skills and allows us to overcome obstacles in various aspects of life.

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