How do you solve a tricky problem on math?

Answer 1

First step is ask yourself what you are looking for (what will the solution be like, what form, what will be a reasonable solution). Next brainstorm for multiple ways in which you can solve the problem - think of what you know in math that you can use in solving this problem (there is usually a really hard way and a not so hard way. Choose the easier way). Eliminate ways that you know or think will be obstacles or traps that will make your approach fallacious. Now make a hypothesis - a reasonable guess as to what you answer may be when you finish. Finally attack the problem. If you did all these steps extensively, most of the time you will arrive at the best, most accurate solution. At the end, reflect - could you have done it better, is their anything you learned during this problem? Also if you have enough time, come up with a similar or more extensive problem that you can solve.