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Solves Problems and Reasons Logically
Lesson 26
Construct Solutions and Verify
  Objectives/Vocab/Tips > Examples 1 | 2 > Practice: 1 | 2 > Reflection

Example 2:

A gardener has 36 poinsettia plants to ship to local florists. He ships them in boxes of 4 plants, or boxes of 3 plants. How might he ship all 36 plants if all boxes shipped must be full? Find two solutions for the gardener. Explain how there can be more than one correct answer.

For this question, a 4 point response is once again needed. In order to receive all 4 points, you need to list 2 possible solutions for shipping the 36 plants and then provide a complete explanation of your answer.

There are actually 4 possible shipping solutions for this problem. They are:

  • 12 boxes of three and 0 boxes of four
  • 8 boxes of three and 3 boxes of four
  • 4 boxes of three and 6 boxes of four
  • 0 boxes of three and 9 boxes of four

Along with listing at least two possible shipping solutions, you need a complete explanation.

Be sure to include the problem solving strategy you used as well in your explanation. Maybe in this one, you used guess and check. If so, be sure to state what your guesses were and how you were able to narrow down to get to the solution(s). If you made a chart or a table, include that as well. Maybe you found a pattern and worked with the pattern. There are different strategies you could have used for the problem and any of them work perfectly fine, it is your explanation of solving the problem and justifying your answers that will give you the 4 points.

You can explain how there are more than one possible solution a couple of ways. The first way would be to substitute the numbers of boxes you found and then solve to prove that your two solutions meets the requirements of the questions asked. Another way to prove that there is more than one solution to this problem is to show your work, your strategy, and defend what you did.

Be sure your explanation is complete, specific, and clear. The more complete your explanation the more points you will receive. You want all 4!

Practice 1 >>

 

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