Create a Physical Representation

1
Create a Physical Representation

• Problem Solving Strategy

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Create a Physical Representation

• Solving a problem using this strategy can include
  
• Acting out the problem as well as using
  manipulatives or
• Creating physical models
• to try out different solutions or to look at
  a problem in a different way.
• A physical representation (a way of representing
  things spatially) lets you touch the problem
  instead of just representing it with a static
  drawing.
• When you create a physical representation with
  people or with manipulatives, you gain a new
  perspective on the problem.

3
Create a Physical Representation

• Firemen, rescue workers, emergency room doctors
  and nurses, student teachers, and members of
  many other professions conduct drills to
  practice techniques and to look for and solve
  problems before they become one in the real
  world.
• Models are made as prototypes for planes, cars,
  buildings, rockets, bridges, and many other
  things in order to test designs before building
  the real thing and finding the problems before
  people get hurt and money is spent on a
  problem-ridden design.

• When the Hubble space telescope had a problem
  with an antenna wedged in one position, NASA
  engineers used tinker toys, a lamp cord, masking
  tape, and glue to build a model to work out the
  problem and ultimately fixed the problem.

4

• Four friends (one is named Janie) went out to
  dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Each ordered a
  different meat (pork, mahi-mahi, beef, or
  chicken), and each ordered a different kind of
  Mexican dish (tostada, burrito, fajita, or
  chimichanga).

Use the clues that follow to determine what dish
each person ordered, the kind of meat it
contained, and where each person was sitting.
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Whos eating Mexican?Make Manipulatives

• Problem Four friends (one is named Janie) went
  out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Each
  ordered a different meat (pork, mahi-mahi, beef,
  or chicken), and each ordered a different kind of
  Mexican dish (tostada, burrito, fajita, or
  chimichanga).

• The person who ordered mahimahi sat next to Ted
  and across from the person who ordered a burrito.
• Ken sat diagonally across from the person who ate
  the fajita and across from the person who ordered
  beef.
• The person who ordered a chimichanga sat across
  from the person who ordered chicken and next to
  Allyson.

6
Manipulate systematically

• Problem Four friends (one is named Janie) went
  out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Each
  ordered a different meat (pork, mahi-mahi, beef,
  or chicken), and each ordered a different kind of
  Mexican dish (tostada, burrito, fajita, or
  chimichanga).The person who ordered mahimahi sat
  next to Ted and across from the person who
  ordered a burrito.
• Ken sat diagonally across from the person who ate
  the fajita and across from the person who ordered
  beef.
• The person who ordered a chimichanga sat across
  from the person who ordered chicken and next to
  Allyson.

7
Eliminate Possibilities

• Problem Four friends (one is named Janie) went
  out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Each
  ordered a different meat (pork, mahi-mahi, beef,
  or chicken), and each ordered a different kind of
  Mexican dish (tostada, burrito, fajita, or
  chimichanga).The person who ordered mahimahi sat
  next to Ted and across from the person who
  ordered a burrito.
• Ken sat diagonally across from the person who ate
  the fajita and across from the person who ordered
  beef.
• The person who ordered a chimichanga sat across
  from the person who ordered chicken and next to
  Allyson.

8
Complete the solution

• Problem Four friends (one is named Janie) went
  out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant. Each
  ordered a different meat (pork, mahi-mahi, beef,
  or chicken), and each ordered a different kind of
  Mexican dish (tostada, burrito, fajita, or
  chimichanga).The person who ordered mahimahi sat
  next to Ted and across from the person who
  ordered a burrito.
• Ken sat diagonally across from the person who ate
  the fajita and across from the person who ordered
  beef.
• The person who ordered a chimichanga sat across
  from the person who ordered chicken and next to
  Allyson.

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Strategy Make a Physical Representation

• Act out or use manipulatives in problems
  involving
• Arrangements of people
• Spatial relationships
• Logical connections
• Tangible or abstract numbers
• Unit analysis
• Order
• Organizing ideas

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Strategy Create a Physical Representation

• Open your problem solving book and go to the
  section on Create a Physical Representation
  (pages 25-26).
• Print off a problem solving sheet and do a
  complete solution to a problem from this
  sectiondo one and submit it or do more for
  extra fun. (Hotel Bill, French Francs,
  Three-on-Three Basketball, and/or Problem Vats)
  
• Email your complete solution, with your steps
  clearly shown to NCAMath_at_district87.org or put
  them in Nancy Powells mail box!
• Have fun and Problem Solve!