Problem Solving
Strategies:
Start at the End
Presentation by:
Gonzaga, Jason
Gingo, Michelle
Gorumba Jose
Start at the End
There are many ways to go about solving a math problem.
Student’s frustrations relating to problem solving often comes
from not knowing where to start. One of the most common
problem solving strategies is to “Start at the End”.
It is extremely useful in dealing with a situation or a sequence of
events. The events occur one after the other and each stage is
affected by what comes next.
Process
This strategy “literally” begins at the end and work through the
process in reverse order to establish what happened in the
original situation. This means that, if the problem requires you
to add something, then when working backwards you must
subtract it likewise in multiplying when working forwards, you
divide when working backwards.
There are instances that where you know the final outcome but
don’t know the starting point, beginning at the end of the
problem and working backwards is the best way of arriving at a
solution.
Example no. 1
In a dancing competition, all the contestants started dancing
together. After 3 minutes, half the people were eliminated.
During the next 10 minutes, half of the remaining were
eliminated. At the 15 minute mark, half again were eliminated,
and at the 20 minute mark, half of those still remaining were
eliminated. In the last two minutes, one more contestant was
eliminated, leaving the winner of the competition. How many
dancers were in the beginning?
Solution:
In a dancing competition, all the contestants started dancing together. After 3
minutes, half the people were eliminated. During the next 10 minutes, half of
the remaining were eliminated. At the 15 minute mark, half again were
eliminated, and at the 20 minute mark, half of those still remaining were
eliminated. In the last two minutes, one more contestant was eliminated,
leaving the winner of the competition. How many dancers were in the
beginning?
Winner: 1
Last 2 minutes: (1 contestant was eliminated, so add) 1 + 1= 2 We know that there
Using this
is only one winner
After 20 minutes (the contestants were halved, so double) 2 x 2= 4 information, it is
and
possiblethat the
to work
After 15 minutes: (halved, so double) 4 x 2 = 8 number of
backwards and find
After 10 minutes: (halved, so double) 8 x 2 = 16 contestants
out how many was
After 3 minutes: (halved, so double) 16 x 2 = 32 dancers halved
dancersat a entered
certain
intervals.
the competition.
Hence, 32 dancers entered the competition.
Checking:
Contestants originally: 32
After 3 minutes: 32/2= 16
Next 10 minutes: 16/2= 8
After 15 minutes: 8/2= 4
After 20 minutes: 4/2=2
Last 2 minutes: 2-1 = 1
Therefore there are 32 dancers entered the competition.
Example no. 2
Robert spent one-fifth of his money buying a paperback book,
then half of what was left for a haircut. Then he bought lunch
for $7. When he got home, he had $13 left. How much did he
have originally?
Solution:
Robert spent one-fifth of his money buying a paperback book,
then half of what was left for a haircut. Then he bought lunch
for $7. When he got home, he had $13 left. How much did he
have originally?
In this example, if a-7 = 13, then add 7 to each side, so that a -7 +7 =
13+7 , or a = 20. Robert had 20 dollars before he bought lunch. If he
spent half of what was left in the next step, the inverse operation is
used again, so that (1/2b)2 = 20(2), or 40 dollars before the haircut.
Read very carefully for the last step, as one fifth of the money is one
fifth aof the total amount, rather than one-fifth of what is left. That
means that 40 dollars is only 4/5 of the total. Therefore, if 4/5 of c =
40 , 4c= 200. Then c =50. The original amount is 50 dollars.
Checking the Solution:
To check the solution, follow the steps forward.
If Robert had 50 dollars originally.
Then a 10-dollar paperback would be one-fifth of the total because 10 is 1/5 of 50.
Then 50-10 would be 40. After that, there was 40 dollars before the haircut, and
half of what was left is $20. Then 20-7 is 13 dollars so the steps check.
Therefore the original amount is 50 dollar.
Example no. 3
Jack is 35 years youngers than Karen. Frank is half of Jack’s
age. Jennifer is 17 years older than Frank. If Jennifer is 35 years
old, how old is Karen?
Solution:
Jack is 35 years youngers than Karen. Frank is half of Jack’s
age. Jennifer is 17 years older than Frank. If Jennifer is 35 years
old, how old is Karen?
Jennifer is 35
So Frank is 35 - 17 = 18 We know that
Frank is half Jack’s age so the opposite operation is 18 x 2 =36. Jennifer is 35. She is
17 years older than
So Jack is 36
Frank. So the
Jack is 35 years younger than Karen opposite operation
So Karen is 36+35=71 plus becomes
minus.
Hence, the age of Karen is 71
Checking the Solution:
To check the solution.
Karen is 71 years old.
Jack’s age is 71 – 35 = 36 years old
Frank’s age is 36/2 = 18 years old
Jennifer’s age is 17 + 18 = 35 years old
Therefore, Karen is 71 years old.
Activity
Solve these following problems using “Start at the End strategy”.
1. John is four years younger than Carmel but Jane is 24 years
older than Carmel. If Jane is 35, how old is John?
2. Four students in the class weighed themselves. Carter was 15
kilograms lighter than Adrian. Gary was twice as heavy as
Carter and Jeremy was seven kilograms heavier than Gary. If
Jeremy weighed 71 kilograms what was Adrian’s weight?
3. Daniel has lot of pets. He has four more goldfish than he has
turtles. He has one less canary than goldfish. Six of his pets are
birds (canaries and parrots). He has two parrots. How many
pets does Daniel have?
Answer Keys 2.)
Jeremy’s weight is 71
1.) kilograms.
Jane is 35 years old. Jeremy is seven kilograms
She is 25 years older than heavier than Gary. So, Gary
Carmel. So, Carmel is 35 – is 71 – 7 = 64 kilogram
24 = 11 years old. Gary is twice as heavy as
John is four years younger Carter. So Carter’s weight is
than Carmel so 11 – 4 = 7. 64/2 = 32 kilograms.
Carter was 15 kilograms
lighter than Adrian. So
Therefore John is seven
Adrian is 32 + 15 = 47
years old.
kilograms.
Therefore, Adrian weighs 47
kilograms.
3.)
6 birds – 2 parrots = 4
canaries
To find the number of
goldfish, add 1 to the
number of canaries.
4 + 1 = 5 goldfish
To find the number of
turtles, subtract 4 from the
number of goldfish
5 - 4 = 1 turtle
Therefore, 2 parrots + 4
canaries +5 goldfish + 1
turtle = 12 pets in total.