1. Polya’s Problem Solving
4 Steps --
Many Strategies

2. Polya’s 4 Steps Understand the problem Devise a plan
What does this mean?
How do you understand?
Devise a plan
What goes into this step?
Why is it important?
Carry out the plan
What happens here?
What belongs in this step?
Look back
What does this step imply?
How do you show you did this?

3. List of Strategies Make a chart Make a table Draw a picture
Draw a diagram
Guess, test, and revise
Form an algebraic model
Look for a pattern
Try a simpler version of the problem
Work backward
Restate the problem differently
Eliminate impossible situations
Use reasoning