PROBLEM SOLVING PROBLEM SOLVING Wednesday October 24, 2007 Ms. Manaktola PROBLEM SOLVING
THE PYRAMID PROBLEM Golf balls are arranged in a square-based pyramid There are 7 layers in total How many golf balls are there in the pyramid?
Number of golf balls in each layer Total number of golf balls Think, pair, share Layer number Number of golf balls in each layer Pattern Total number of golf balls 1 2 3
Make it a simpler problem Layer number Number of golf balls in each layer Pattern Total number of golf balls 1 1² = 1 2 2² = 4 1 + 4 5 3 3² = 9 1 + 4 + 9 14
solution The number of golf balls in each layer is the layer number squared Therefore, the number of golf balls in 7 layers = 1² + 2² + 3² + 4² + 5² + 6² + 7² = 140 golf balls