Maths Games Resource Kit - Sample

Teaching Problem Solving

ThissampleisanextractfromthefirstMathsGamesResourceKit.Thefullkitcontainsadditionalexamplequestionsandsolutionmethods.

Rationale and Syllabus Outcomes

Mathematicsisacreativesubjectrequiringabstractthought.Childrennaturallyreasonandusecreativestrategies
whentheyseekpatternsandrelationshipsthatwillenablethemtosolvechallengingunfamiliarproblems.The
generalisationstheymakecanthenbeusedtosolveproblemswiththesamemathematicalstructure.
Throughtheprocessofproblemsolvingandclassdiscussionofthestrategiesused,childrenwillalsodevelopskills
theycanusewhenfacedwithmoreunfamiliarproblems,sobyStage3theywillbeableto:
describeandrepresentmathematicalsituationsinavarietyofways(MA31WM)
selectandapplyappropriateproblemsolvingstrategiesinundertakinginvestigations(MA32WM)
givevalidreasonsforsupportingonepossiblesolutionoveranother(MA33WM)
ThisresourcekithasbeendesignedtoassistinteachingproblemsolvingstrategiesinpreparationfortheMaths
Games.ThesampleproblemsarefromJuniorMathsOlympiadcompetitionsinpreviousyears.Furtherquestions
andsolutionmethodscanbefoundintheAPSMOresourcebooksavailablefromwww.apsmo.edu.au.
Aswithmostcompetitionproblems,theycanoftenbesolvedinmanydifferentways.Forthisreason,different
methodsofsolutionwillbesuggestedforeachproblem,withparticularemphasison:

1. Guess, Check and Refine

Thisisastrategythatcanhelpastudenttogetstarted.Thestudentmakesareasonableguessoftheanswer,
andthencheckstheguessagainsttheconditionsoftheproblem.Ifthefirstguessisnotcorrect,atleastone
possibleansweriseliminatedandthestudentobtainsfurtherinformationthatmayleadtothecorrectanswer.
BeginnersinparticularareurgedtouseGuess,CheckandRefineoften,untiltheycatchthefeelofsolving
problems.

2. Drawing a Diagram
Ifaproblemisnotillustrated,sometimesitishelpfulforthestudenttodrawadiagram.Apicturemayreveal
informationthatmaynotbeobviousjustbyreadingtheproblem.Itisalsousefulforkeepingtrackofwherethe
studentisuptoinamultistepproblem.

How to use these problems

Atthestartofthelesson,presenttheproblemandaskthestudentstothinkaboutit.Encouragestudentstotryto
solveitinanywaytheylike.Whenthestudentshavehadenoughtimetoconsidertheirsolutions,askthemto
describeorpresenttheirmethods,takingparticularnoteofdifferentwaysofarrivingatthesamesolution.
Eachquestionincludesatleastonesolutionmethodthatthemajorityofstudentsshouldbeabletofollow.By
participating in lessons that demonstrate achievable problem solving techniques, students may gain increased
confidenceintheirownabilitytoaddressunfamiliarproblems.
Finally,theconsiderationofdifferentsolutionmethodsisfundamentaltothestudentsdevelopmentaseffective
and sophisticated problem solvers. Even when students have solved a problem to their own satisfaction, it is
importanttoexposethemtoothermethodsandencouragethemtojudgewhetherornottheothermethodsare
correct.

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Maths Games Resource Kit - Sample

MathsGamesExampleProblem1.1
EachdayJeffreyearns$3forwashingthedishes.Hecanearn$5insteadbyalsosweepingthekitchen.
Aftertendays,Jeffreyhasearnedatotalof$36.OnhowmanyofthesedaysdidJeffreysweepthe
kitchen?

Similar Problems
1.1a) Admissiontothelocalcinemais$3foreachchildand$7foreachadult.Agroupof12peoplepay$64
admission.Howmanychildrenareinthisgroup?
1.1b) AfterreturningfromaholidaytotheUSA,MeganhassomeAmericancoins:A25ccoins(quarters)andB
10ccoinswithatotalvalueof$1.95,whereAandBarebothcountingnumbers.Howmanydifferent
valuesofAcanMeganhave?

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 Maths Games Resource Kit - Sample

Maths Games Example Problem 1.1 - Solution

EachdayJeffreyearns$3forwashingthedishes.Hecanearn$5insteadbyalsosweepingthekitchen.Afterten
days,Jeffreyhasearnedatotalof$36.OnhowmanyofthesedaysdidJeffreysweepthekitchen?

Strategy 1: Guess, Check and Refine

Thequestionis,onhowmanyofthesedaysdidJeffreysweepthekitchen?

Firstly,Jeffreyworkedfor10days. Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Amount

LetsguessthatJeffreysweptthekitchen Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
on6days,forwhichhegot$5perday.
Amount $5 $5 $5 $5 $5 $5

Howmuchisthat?6 $5 = $30.

Ontheother4daysheonlywashedthe Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
dishes,forwhichhegot$3perday.
Amount $5 $5 $3 $3 $5 $3 $5 $5 $5 $3

Howmuchisthat?4 $3 = $12.
Sointotalhewouldhaveearned$30+ $12= $42.

Butthequestionsayshegot$36,so Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
thatstoomuch.Letschangeoneofthe
$5daystoa$3day. Amount $3 $5 $3 $3 $5 $3 $5 $5 $5 $3

Howmuchisthat?5 $5 = $25,and5 $3 = $15.

Sointotalhewouldhaveearned$25+ $15= $40.Thats$2closertothe$36target.

Whathappensifwechangeanother$5 Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
daytoa$3day?($2lessagain)
Amount $3 $3 $3 $3 $3 $3 $5 $5 $5 $3
Andagain?($2lessagain)

Howmuchisthat?3 $5 = $15,7 $3 = $21,and$15+ $21= $36.Soitmatcheswhatitsaysinthequestion.

So:Jeffrey swept the kitchen on 3 days.

Strategy 2: Start with an extreme case.

SupposeJeffreysweptthekitchenonnoneofthetendays.Hewouldhaveearned$30.
Thisis$6lessthanheactuallyearned.
Eachdayhesweepsthekitchenheearnsanadditional$2,soJeffreysweptthekitchenon3days.
Letscheck:3 x $5 + 7 x $3 = $36.

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Maths Games Resource Kit - Sample

MathsGamesExampleProblem1.2
Tonipicksanumberandmultipliesitby3.Shethenadds4totheresultandfinallydividesthisnew
numberby2.Herfinalresultis14.Withwhatnumberdidshestart?

Similar Problems
1.2a) Kristenhashadhercatsinceitwasakitten.Shesaid,Ifyoumultiplymycatsageby4,andthendivide
by12,youget5.Howoldismycat?
1.2b) Astartingnumberismultipliedby4.Then14isaddedtotheresult.Thenewnumberis6timesthestarting
number.Whatisthestartingnumber?
1.2c) If16isaddedtoonethirdofanumber,theresultisthreetimesthenumber.Whatisthenumber?

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Maths Games Resource Kit - Sample

Maths Games Example Problem 1.2 - Solution

Tonipicksanumberandmultipliesitby3.Shethenadds4totheresultandfinallydividesthisnewnumberby2.Her
finalresultis14.Withwhatnumberdidshestart?

Strategy 1: Guess, Check and Refine

Thequestionis,withwhatnumberdidshestart?

LetsguessthatTonipicked5tostart.
Firstly,shemultipliesitby3. 5 3 = 15

Sheadds4totheresult. 15 + 4 = 19

Finallyshedividesthisnewnumberby2. 19 2 = 9 remainder 1 (or 9)

Thefinalresultwassupposedtobe14.Wegot9 remainder 1.Whatdoesthistellus?

Maybeweshouldtryabiggernumber,becauseourresultisntbigenough.
Maybeweshouldtryanevennumber,toseeifwecangetafinalresultthatdoesnthavearemainder.

2ndtry:LetsguessthatTonipicked8to
start.
8 3 = 24
Firstly,shemultipliesitby3.

Sheadds4totheresult. 24 + 4 = 28

Finallyshedividesthisnewnumberby2. 28 2 = 14

ThatmatchesTonisfinalresult.SoToni started with 8.

Strategy 2: Work backwards.

Toniendedon14.Wecanworkbackwardstoseewhatnumbershestartedwith.

Question: 14 ?
Divide by 2 Add 4 Multiply by 3
End Start

Solution: 14 28 24 8
Multiply by 2 Subtract 4 Divide by 3
End Start

Letscheck:8 x 3 = 24. 24 + 4 = 28. 28 2 = 14.

So:Toni started with 8.

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