MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM SOLVING HEURISTICS AND SOLUTIONSTRATEGIES OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

Numerous researches from abroad had been investigating the mathematical problem solving
process among students, but little is done with regards to the mathematical problem solving
heuristics among high school students in the Philippines. This paper is a portion of a grounded
theory research conducted by the researcher. This article presents the portion in which case
study design was utilized to find out the mathematical problem solving heuristics among Filipino
high school students. Thirty participants representing different problem solving skills ranging
from poor to good problem solvers were interviewed over a period of three months. Interviews
were analyzed and mathematical problem solving heuristics were identified. Filipino senior high
school students utilized the following heuristics when they solved mathematical problems: use of
logic or common sense, look for a clue, use an equation, draw a picture, solve or recall similar
or equivalent problem, make a list, find a pattern, and make a table, make a diagram, use of
mathematical expressions, use a model and use a representation. Other solution strategies used
by the participants in the study were trial-and-error, guessing, guess-and-test, skip counting, use
of the basic operations, use of adding techniques and recall and create formula. Participants in
the study used the solution strategies as stand-alone or a combination of two or more strategies.