1.

Develop An Lower Secondary Problem Solving Tasks That Develop Higher Order
Thinking
TASK 2
Ali and Raju are Orange seller. On early of the day Raju has only 40% of the total
number of oranges that Ali having in his stall. On the day Ali sales is so good until he
sell 57 orange and Raju did not manage to sell any of the oranges. At the end of the day
both has the same number of oranges. What are the total numbers of oranges with both
of them?

1. TEACHERS GUIDE
Steps

Teachers Guide

Students task

Step 1

Teacher will give task 1 to the

Students will read the task and

students and let the students to

take few minutes to understand the

read and understand the question.

question.

Teacher than should ask the

Students will tell that they

students whether they understand

understands the questions.

Step 2

the questions or not

Step 3

If some students didnt understand

Student will explain the question

it teacher should pick 1 student

who understands the question to
explain the question.

Step 4

Teacher should form group of

Students will sit according to their

students which they should be 3 to

groups.

5 person in a group depends on

the number of students in the
classroom

Step 5

Teacher should encourage the

Students will start to think and

students to solve the problem by

answer the question.

thinking of a method that they

would like to use and to try and
use the method.

Step 6

After few minutes teacher should

Students will present their answer

select a person from each group

as shown in the part 3 b.

and put them up on the board for a

whole-class discussion.

Step 7

Teacher must have discussion on

Students will discuss together with

each of their solution whether it is

the teacher

acceptable or rejected. Teacher

must also ask the students to
name their method that they use
and ask them questions n how
they find the solution.

Step 8

Step 9

If student cannot name it teacher

Students will understand more on

should help them.

what they are going to learn.

Teacher should proceed with their

lesson

3 A) Evaluate Whether Each Problem Is A Good Problem And Give Your

Reasons.
In my opinion, a good problem should have the following criteria
Good Problems Criteria
It bases students mathematical development on their

Yes

No

knowledge
It is an interesting and enjoyable way to learn mathematics

It is a way to learn new mathematics with greater

understanding
It produces positive attitudes towards mathematics

It makes a students as junior research mathematician

It teaches general problem solving skills

It encourages cooperative skills

It is a useful way to practice mathematical skills

It requires higher level thinking

It can be approached by students in multiple ways using

different solution strategies.

It connects to real life situations

This problem is a good problem because it develops the mathematical

knowledge of the students. Students begin to think and solve the problem
mathematically because it is the only way to solve it where it involves percentage and

number of the oranges that sold. Students will find out that this is an interesting and
enjoyable question because this question is something that students can play with it.
They also can try act in classroom as Ali and Raju. They also will play by asking the
questions with their other friends or siblings.
This question will produce positive attitude towards mathematics. This question
will create interest on the students to learn a chapter. It makes the students as a junior
research mathematician. They will think deeply to find out the methods to be used and
the answer. This problem teaches the general problem solving skills. Many strategies
and techniques will be used to solve the problem for example the Polyas four stages.It
encourages cooperative skills. Students will discuss among themselves when they
divided the group and find the answer. They can solve easily if many brains are working
instead of 1.
This question is a useful way to practice mathematical skills. It will be easy for
the teacher to teach the topic range once students can solve the question in their own.
To solve this question it requires higher level thinking. Students will be think in several
ways to answer the question. Once they read the question it will be easy for them to
solve it but once they started to do it they will think deeply to solve it. The question can
be approached by students in have multiple ways using different solution strategies.
The problem connects to real life situation. Here students will see the connections
between mathematics and real life situation.

3 B) Propose several strategies students might use to solve the problems and
show how these strategies might be used.
1ST STRATEGY
Early of the day
Raju = 40%
Ali

= 100%

End of the day

Raju = 40%
Ali

= 40%

Raju sold

=0

Ali sold

= 60% = 57 oranges

57 oranges 60% =0.95

0.95 oranges = 1%
The oranges left for Ali is:40% x 0.95 = 38
The oranges left for Raju is:40% x 0.95 = 38
Total number of oranges left without selling is : 38 +38 = 76 oranges

2ND STRATEGY
All are same as above only the last part is different.
Early of the day
Raju = 40%
Ali

= 100%

End of the day

Raju = 40%
Ali

= 40%

Raju sold

=0

Ali sold

= 60% = 57 oranges

57 oranges 60% =0.95

0.95 oranges = 1%
Total oranges left for Ali and Raju are 80%
80% x 0.95 = 76 oranges

3RD STRATEGY
By reading the question students can understand that the 57 oranges that they sold is
60 %.
60% = 57 oranges
So by dividing they will get
1% = 0.95 oranges
100% = 95 oranges
95 57 = 38 oranges
38 + 38 = 76 oranges

4th STRATEGY
Early of the day
Raju = 0.4x
Ali

= 1x

End of the day

X -57 = 0.4x
X - 0.4x

= 57

0.6x

= 57

= 95

Ali

= 95 -57 = 38 oranges

38 + 38

=76 oranges

3 C) Select The Best Solution And Provide Reasons

The best solution would be:1ST STRATEGY
Early of the day
Raju = 40%
Ali

= 100%

End of the day

Raju = 40%
Ali

= 40%

Raju sold

=0

Ali sold

= 60% = 57 oranges

57 oranges 60% =0.95

0.95 oranges = 1%
The oranges left for Ali is:40% x 0.95 = 38
The oranges left for Raju is:40% x 0.95 = 38
Total number of oranges left without selling is :38 +38 = 76 orange

This is because it will be easy for a teacher to show and teach the concept ratio
after give the problem solving task. In the solution students are using ratio before they
learn about it but they just cannot name the concept. By solving this question and
learned the new term ratio students will understand the concept of ratio and it will be
easy for them to solve real life problems when it is involving ratio. Other strategy is also
connected with ratio but here we can clearly see the concept.
When students can see the percentage connection between Ali and Raju and
they write it in word form teacher can ask the students to change it to number form that
is
Ali

Raju

100% :

40%

And teacher also will teach the simplify method

Ali

Raju

Teacher will explain that both are same

Then the new ratio end of the day is
Ali

Raju

40% :

40%

After simplify it will be

Ali

Raju

To see the connection between the early of the day and end of the day the ratio can be
times by 2
Ali

Raju

So the difference now is only with Ali that is from 5 reduce to 2 and the 3 it is connected
to the sold oranges that is 57 oranges. Lets say that there are 3 boxes different and all
the 3 boxes we sold has 57 oranges.
57 3 box = 19 in each box
19 x 2box = 38
Raju and Ali has 38 oranges each at the end. So all together is 76 oranges.

3 D) Propose several improvements to the problem so that it is more challenging

and interesting
Ali and Raju are fruit seller in day market. They sell both apple and oranges to their
customer. Every day they will bring a number of fruit sell in their market. On a particular
day Ali bring total number of 120 fruits that are 48 oranges and the rest are apple. Raju
brought total of 100 fruits to sell. If the percentage of the apple that both of them have in
their total number of the fruits are the same. How many Oranges and apple that Raju
having now?

This question will be more challenging to the students and students also will be
interested to do this question. It is challenging because it involves 2 fruits which is apple
and oranges where earlier it only involves oranges. This question is more to find out the
ratio where the early question is just the basic to understand what is ratio from what
they find out. This question will be more challenging. Here students can understand that
ratio is related to fractions.