1-1 A Plan for Problem Solving
Main IDEA
Solve problems using the
four-step plan.
Standard 6MR1.1
[TX text to come]
Analyze problems
by identifying
relationships, distinguishing
relevant from irrelevant
information, identifying
missing information,
sequencing and prioritizing
information, and observing
patterns.
Reinforcement of
Standard 5NS2.1 Add,
subtract, multiply, and divide
œÕ˜ÌÀÞ
with decimals; add with
negative integers; subtract
positive integers from
negative integers; and verify
the reasonableness of the
results.
Four-Step Plan
No matter what
strategy you use, you
can always use the
four-step plan to
solve a problem.
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ANALYZE GRAPHS The bar graph
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shows the countries with the
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most world championship
 
motocross wins. What is the
total number of wins for these

five countries? 
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information necessary to
 
solve this problem?
  
2. Explain how you would 
solve this problem. Then "ELGIUM 3WEDEN &RANCE )TALY 53!
solve it.
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3. Does your answer make
sense? Explain.
4. What can you do if your first attempt at solving the problem
does not work?
In mathematics, there is a four-step plan you can use to help you solve
any problem.
1. Explore • Read the problem carefully.
• What information is given?
• What do you need to find out?
• Is enough information given?
• Is there any extra information?
2. Plan • How do the facts relate to each other?
• Select a strategy for solving the problem. There may be
several that you can use.
• Estimate the answer.
3. Solve • Use your plan to solve the problem.
• If your plan does not work, revise it or make a new plan.
• What is the solution?
4. Check • Does your answer fit the facts given in the problem?
• Is your answer reasonable compared to your estimate?
• If not, make a new plan and start again.
Lesson 1-1 A Plan for Problem Solving 25
 Use the Four-Step Plan
1 TELEVISION There were about 260 million TVs in the U.S.
in 2005. This amount increases by 4 million each year after
2005. In what year will there be at least 300 million TVs?
Explore What are you trying to find?
In what year will there be at least 300 million TVs
in the U.S.?
What information do you need to solve the problem?
You know how many TVs there were in 2005.
Also, the number increases by 4 million each year.

Plan Find the number of TVs needed to reach 300 million.

Real-World Link Then divide this number by 4 to find the number of years
In a recent year, that will pass before the total reaches 300 million TVs.
worldwide consumers
purchased 8.8 million Solve The change in the number of TVs from 260 million to
LCD (Liquid Crystal
Display) TVs. 300 million is 300 - 260 or 40 million TVs. Dividing the
Source: Display Search difference by 4, you get 40 ÷ 4 or 10.
You can also use the make a table strategy.
Year ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15
Number
260 264 268 272 276 280 284 288 292 296 300
(millions)

+4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4

So, there will be at least 300 million TVs in the U.S.

in the year 2015.

Check 10 years × 4 million = 40 million

260 million + 40 million = 300 million ✔

a. WHALES A baby blue whale gains about 200 pounds each day.
About how many pounds does a baby blue whale gain per hour?

Problems can be solved using different operations or strategies.

+%9#/.#%04 Problem-Solving Strategies

guess and check use a graph

look for a pattern work backward
make an organized list eliminate possibilities
draw a diagram estimate reasonable answers
act it out use logical reasoning
solve a simpler problem make a model

26 Chapter 1 Introduction to Algebra and Functions

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Jose Luis Pelaez, Inc./Getty Images
 Use a Strategy in the Four-Step Plan
2 SPORTS In a basketball tournament, 128 teams play in the first
round. Then there are 64 teams left to play in the second round,
32 teams left to play in the third round, and so on.
How many rounds does it take to determine a winner?
Explore You know the number of teams at
the start of the tournament.

Plan You can look for a

pattern by organizing
the information in
a table. Then continue
the pattern until
two teams are left.

Solve Round 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Number of Teams 128 64 32 16 8 4 2

÷2 ÷2
So, a winner is determined after 7 rounds.

Check Complete the diagram to show that the answer is correct.

Round 1 128 teams: 64 teams win, 64 teams lose

Round 2 64 teams: 32 teams win, 32 teams lose

Round 3 32 teams: 16 teams win, 16 teams lose

Solve using the four-step plan.

b. SPORTS How many rounds would it take to determine a winner if
512 teams participated in the tournament?
Personal Tutor at ca.gr6math.com

Use the four-step plan to solve each problem. Lake Size (acres)
Example 1 1. ANALYZE TABLES The table lists the sizes of six Lake Mattamuskeet 40,000
(p. 26) of the larger lakes in North Carolina. About Falls Lake 12,000
how many times larger is High Rock Lake
Hyco Lake 3,750
than Hyco Lake?
Lake Gaston 20,000
Example 2 2. E-MAIL If Isaac receives an e-mail every Lake James 6,500
(p. 27) 20 minutes during the workday, how High Rock Lake 15,000
many e-mails would he expect to receive
Source: visitnc.com
between 8:00 A.M. and noon?

Extra Examples at ca.gr6math.com Lesson 1-1 A Plan for Problem Solving 27

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Dimitri Lundt/CORBIS
(/-%7/2+ (%,0 Use the four-step plan to solve each problem.

For See 3. BIRDS Most hummingbirds flap their wings about 50 times a second.
Exercises Examples How many times can a hummingbird flap its wings in one minute?
3–6 1
7–10 2 4. PLANETS Jupiter is about 3 times the size of Neptune. If the diameter of
Jupiter is 88,736 miles, estimate the diameter of Neptune.

5. MONEY To attend the class picnic, each student will have to pay $5.25
for transportation and $5.75 for food. If there are 379 students in the class,
how much money will be collected for the picnic?

6. DVD RENTALS A video store took in $5,400 in DVD rentals during July.
January sales are expected to be double that amount. If DVDs rent for $4,
how many DVD rentals are expected in January?

7. GEOMETRY What are the next two figures in the pattern?

8. ALGEBRA What are the next two numbers in the pattern?

9, 27, 81, 243, 729, ,

ANALYZE TABLES For Exercises 9 and 10, use

Commuter Train Schedule
the commuter train schedule shown.
Departure Arrival
A commuter train departs from a train station
and travels to the city each day. The schedule 6:30 a.m. 6:50 a.m.
shows the first five departure and arrival times. 7:15 a.m. 7:35 a.m.
8:00 a.m. 8:20 a.m.
9. How often does the commuter train arrive
in the city? 8:45 a.m. 9:05 a.m.
9:30 a.m. 9:50 a.m.
10. What is the latest time that passengers can
depart from the train station if they need to
arrive in the city no later than noon?

11. COOKING Mr. Sanders is serving fried turkey at 3:00 P.M. The 15-pound
turkey has to cook 3 minutes for every pound and then cool for at least
45 minutes. What is the latest time he can start frying?

12. ESTIMATION Terry opened a savings account in December with $132 and
saved $27 each month beginning in January. Estimate the value of Terry’s
account in July. Then calculate the amount and evaluate the reasonableness
of your estimate.

13. FIND THE DATA Refer to the California Data File on pages 16–19 of your
book. Choose some data and write a real-world problem in which you
would use the four-step plan to solve the problem.

28 Chapter 1 Introduction to Algebra and Functions

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 14. ANALYZE TABLES The sizes of Earth’s Earth’s Oceans
oceans in millions of square kilometers
Size
are shown in the table. If the combined Ocean
(millionkm 2)
size of Earth’s oceans is 367 million
Arctic 45
square kilometers, what is the size of
the Pacific Ocean? Atlantic 77
Indian 69
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15. MONEY Kishi wants to buy a DVD player Pacific
See pages 679, 715. that costs $261.25 with tax. So far, she has Southern 20
saved $145.75. If she saves $5.50 every Source: The World Factbook
Self-Check Quiz at week, in how many weeks will she be able
ca.gr6math.com
to purchase the DVD player?

H.O.T. Problems 16. CHALLENGE Use the digits 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 to form a two-digit number
and a three-digit number so that their product is as small as possible.
Use each digit only once.

17. OPEN ENDED Create a real-world problem that can be solved by adding
79 and 42 and then multiplying the result by 3.

18. 83 *5*/( */

-!4( Explain why it is important to plan before solving
(

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a problem.

19. Jeannie has $72 to spend on birthday 20. Mr. Brooks went on a business trip.
gifts for her mother. Which three items The trip was 380 miles, and the
from the table could Jeannie purchase, average price of gasoline was $3.15 per
not including tax? gallon. What information is needed to
find the amount Mr. Brooks spent on
Item Cost
gasoline for the trip?
sweater $29.50
F Number of times Mr. Brooks
gloves $22.75 stopped to fill his tank with
purse $32.00 gasoline
chocolates $15.00
G Number of miles the car can travel
movie passes $27.75
using one gallon of gasoline
A gloves, movie passes, sweater H Number of hours the trip took
B movie passes, sweater, purse J Average number of miles
Mr. Brooks drove per day
C sweater, gloves, chocolates
D sweater, gloves, purse

PREREQUISITE SKILL Multiply.

21. 10 × 10 22. 3 × 3 × 3 23. 5 × 5 × 5 × 5 24. 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2

Lesson 1-1 A Plan for Problem Solving 29

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