MAT 152: Mathematics in the Modern World

Module #5 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Lesson Title: Illustrating the “Make a Table” and “Find a Materials:

Pattern” Strategies in Problem Solving Student Activity Sheets, Calculator

Lesson Objectives: At the end of this module, you should be References:

able to: www.wolframalpha.com
1) Apply the “Make a Table” and “Find a Pattern” strategies in www.blake.com.au/v/vspfiles/
problem solving. downloadables/PT2_ProblemSolving.pdf
www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Algebra-
2) Enhance problem solving skills.
ISecond-Edition/section/1.8/

Productivity Tip: More problem-solving strategies here. Try to get the best momentum of studying and don’t
hesitate to ask your teacher if there are unclear concepts or steps.

A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW
Introduction

The problem-solving strategy discussed previously is a general process in problem solving. In this section,
the focus will be the specific process to solve problem, first is the “Make a Table” method and followed by
the “Find the Pattern” method. You will apply the first two problem-solving methods to solve several real
world problems. You will learn how to develop and use the methods make a table and find a pattern.
Problem solving provides students with ability to look at a situation from different points of view using critical
and analytical thinking.

Before you proceed, look back to the four steps! Write the keywords below.
1) __________________ 2) __________________ 3)_____________________ 4) _________________

B. MAIN LESSON
Content Notes

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 MAT 152: Mathematics in the Modern World
Module #5 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Problem-solving strategy #1: Make a Table of an Organized List

Make a table is a problem–solving strategy that can be used to solve mathematical word
problem by writing the information in a more organized format. The created table can reveal
patterns and relationships that suggest answer to the given problem. Using this strategy provides
an opportunity to practice constructing tables in a logical way to develop a solution. The number
of columns and rows will depend on the quantity of data needed to obtain the answer.

Example #1: The Problem below uses the strategy “Make a Table”.
There are six swimmers on each relay-race team. The first team member swims 300 meters.
Each team member swims 50 meters less than the swimmer before.
a) How many meters did the last team member swim in the relay race?
b) How many meters does each team swim in the relay race in all?

Solution: The problem says that, “The first team member swims 300 meters. Each team member swims 50
meters less than the swimmer before.” Let’s make a table to solve the problem.

Swimmer Distance
By looking at the table:
1 300 meters
a. The last team member swims 50
2 250 meters meters.
3 200 meters b. Each team swims 1050 meters.
(300+250+200+150+100+50=1050)
4 150 meters (add all the number of meters)
5 100 meters
6 50 meters

Problem-solving strategy #2: Find a Pattern

A pattern is a regular, systematic repetition which often occurs in problems where
there is a progression of data. Patterns may be numerical, verbal, spatial/visual, patterns in
time or patterns in sound. By identifying the pattern, one can predict what will come next and
will happen again and again.

in the same way.

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 MAT 152: Mathematics in the Modern World
Module #5 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Example #2: The problem below uses the strategy “Find a Pattern”.
Five students, Cely, Flor, Jay, Ady and Carl, were sitting around the table. Cards with numbers from 201 to 1000,
arranged in order, were placed on the table. Jay took the first card, Ady took the second, and so on until all the
cards have been taken up.
a. Who received the card with number 215?
b. Who got the card with number 301?
c. Who picked the card with the number 998?

Solution: You can also create a table to see the pattern clearly.
Cely 204 209 214
Flor 205 210 215
Jay 201 206 211
Ady 202 207 212
Carl 203 208 213

a. Who received the card with number 215? Answer: Flor Notice that Flor got all the cards that
are divisible by 5. Now, 215 is divisible by 5.
b. Who got the card with number 301? Answer: Jay
Since Jay sits after Flor, he got all the cards divisible by 5 plus 1.
Thus, 301 = 300 + 1, where 300 is divisible by 5
c. Who picked the card with the number 998? Answer: Carl
Carl will receive all cards divisible by 5 plus 3
That is, 998 = 995 + 3
***(Ady will receive all cards divisible by 5 plus 2)
***(There are only 5 students, so the Cely will receive all cards divisible by 5 plus 4)

Try more of the cards!!! Who gets who?

Card # 834 ____________ Card #367 _____________ Card #718 _____________
“Check your answers against the Key to Corrections found at the end of this SAS.
Write your score on your paper.”

Skill-building Activities

A. Develop and Use the Strategy: Make a Table The method “Make a Table” is helpful when solving
problems involving numerical relationships. When data is organized in a table, it is easier to recognize
patterns and relationships between numbers. You apply this strategy to the next problem.

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 MAT 152: Mathematics in the Modern World
Module #5 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________
Problem #1: Kelly takes up jogging. On the first week she jogs for 10 minutes per day, on the second
week she jogs for 12 minutes per day. Each week, she wants to increase her jogging time by 2 minutes
per day. If she jogs six days each week, what will be her total jogging time on the sixth week?

Solution:

B. Develop and Use the Strategy: Look for a Pattern

Looking for a pattern is another strategy that you can use to solve problems. The goal is to look for items
or numbers that are repeated or a series of events that repeat. The following problem can be solved by
finding a pattern.

Problem #2. You arrange tennis balls in triangular shapes as shown. How many balls will there be in a
triangle that has 8 rows?

Solution:

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 MAT 152: Mathematics in the Modern World
Module #5 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________
Check for Understanding
Practice Exercise: Solve the following problems using “Make a Table” or “Create a Pattern”

1) We are running a fund-raising concert in our school hall. The first member of the audience comes in on
her own, then a group of three friends come in together. Each time a group of people arrives there are
two more than in the previous group. How many people will arrive in the twentieth group?

2) A group of businessmen were at a networking meeting. Each businessman exchanged his business
card with every other businessman who was present.
a) If there were 16 businessmen, how many business cards were exchanged?
b) If there was a total of 380 business cards exchanged, how many businessmen were at the meeting?

3) A group of students are learning a long poem to perform at the school concert. Each week they are
taught a certain number of verses. The first week they are taught one verse and by the end of the
second week they know three verses. At the end of the third week the students can recite six verses
and at the end of the fourth week they know ten. How many verses would they be able to recite after 12
weeks?

4) Complete the following multiplication patterns. The first one has been done for you.

“Check your answers against the Key to Corrections found at the end of this SAS.
Write your score on your paper.”

C. LESSON WRAP-UP
Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is the most difficult part of problem solving?
The most difficult parts of problem-solving are most often the first two steps in our problem-solving
plan. You need to read the problem and make sure you understand what you are being asked.
Once you understand the problem, you can devise a strategy to solve it.

2) Can I apply make a table for this problem?

“Mark is three years older than Jen, and the sum of their ages is 15. How old are Mark and
Jen?” Yes, create with three columns: 1st column (Mark) , 2nd Column (Jen), and 3rd column

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 MAT 152: Mathematics in the Modern World
Module #5 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________
(Total). Then fill up with two numbers (higher on Mark) that sums-up to 15 and the difference
is two until you get 9 for Mark and 6 for Jen.

Thinking about learning

Are we good now? Have you learned a lot? Let’s talk about your learning experience.

1. What did you like about this lesson? Why did it make you feel this way? How did this feeling affect
your work?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. Did you have challenges in today’s learning? How did you overcome those challenges?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

KEY TO CORRECTIONS

Example 2: (1-point each)

Card # 834 to Cely Card #367 to Ady Card #718 to Carl

Solution to Problem #1
First week Kelly jogs 10 minutes per day for six days.
Second week Kelly jogs 12 minutes per day for six days.
Each week, she increases her jogging time by 2 minutes per day and she jogs 6 days per week.
The table below represents the weekly jog of Kelly.

Week Minutes per Day Minutes per Week

1 10 60
2 12 72
3 14 84
4 16 96
5 16 108
6 20 120
Therefore, in week six, Kelly jogs a total of 120 minutes.

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 MAT 152: Mathematics in the Modern World
Module #5 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________
Answer to Problem #2:
To identify the number of balls in 8 rows, we can use the pattern
𝑛(𝑛+1)
Number of balls = where n = number of layers or rows
2
For example, in row or layer number 3, we have 6 balls. Applying the pattern, we have n = 3
𝑛(𝑛+1) 3(3+1) 3(4) 12
Number of balls = 2
= 2
= 2
= 2
= 6 balls
So, n = 8 (number of rows or layers)
𝑛(𝑛+1) 8(8+1) 8(9) 72
Number of balls = = = = = 36 balls
2 2 2 2

Check for understanding

1)

2)

3)

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 MAT 152: Mathematics in the Modern World
Module #5 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________
4)

Suggested videos only:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzFDSGEBXAw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvvdCVit0a8

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