Solving Mathematical Problems, Sudoku

Solving Mathematical Problems, Sudoku

According to George Polya, there are four vital principles to solving mathematical problems. They include:

First Step: understanding the problem

For one to solve a Sudoku problem, the information available should give guidance to be able to complete the task. For instance, what have you been asked to find or show? What information is missing and what is present, what is the unknown value, where can one get more information?

With these questions in mind the person solving should choose the appropriate level of the problem to ascertain whether it is understandable and can be responded from anything constructive.

Second Step: Devise a plan

The next step is to tackle the Sudoku using the available strategies. Polya introduces many reasonable ways and strategies to solve problems. The strategies mostly used are using the trial and error method where one looks for a possible pattern that can be fixed to solve the problem, solving the easy and simpler problems first then tackle the puzzle. The skill to choose the appropriate strategy is learned by solving many problems.

Third Step: Carry out the plan

After finding out how to solve the puzzle then a plan is implemented that will help to solve the problem. The plan is to perform any computation with the strategy that one has chosen. When it fails it should be discarded and try another one.

Fourth step: Looking back

At this step one has to reflect and look back at what he has tackled, what worked out and what did not. If it is fully solved, the problem is said to be successfully solved when the results are not contradicting then they are reasonable.