Types of Problems involved in Problem Solving
Different problems require different techniques. You want your students to have experience with all types.
Here are some of the strategies that are needed. If you find a problem that requires another strategy, please contact me so that I can add it.
MAKE A LIST
There are two 2 digit numbers. They have the same digits, only reversed. The difference between the numbers is 54, while the sum of the digits of each number is 10. Find the two numbers.
USE A DIAGRAM
Martin drove from Philadelphia to Brooklyn, then to Manhattan, then to Scarsdale. He returned over the same route. From Philadelphia to Brooklyn is 93 miles. From Brooklyn to Manhattan is 11 miles. The trip from Scarsdale to Philadelphia was 131 miles. What is the distance between Manhattan and Scarsdale?
WORKING BACKWARDS
Daniel had some money. He gave half to his dad, one third of what he had left to his friend and spent $5 on a snack. Then he had $15 left. How much money did he have at first?
MAKE A CHART
Kelly started selling magazine subscriptions. Each day, she sold twice as many subscriptions as she sold the day before. By the end of the fifth day, she had sold a total of 93 subscriptions. How many subscriptions did Kelly sell on the third day?
WRITE DOWN STEPS AND USE A DIAGRAM
We have a square. The area of this square is 36. Find the perimeter.
GUESS AND CHECK
There are 2 turkeys, larger and smaller. Together they weigh 20 pounds. The smaller one costs 2 cents a pound more than the larger one. The smaller one costs $3.36 and the l
larger one is $5.98. How much does each weigh?
SPATIAL
Move 3 dots so as to create a triangle facing the other direction.
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