Pólya: How to solve it - Part 1

This interactive course uses George Pólya’s problem-solving framework to guide you through the classic space-diagonal problem: given a rectangular box with known length, width, and height, find the longest straight rod that fits inside. You will learn to clarify givens and unknowns, introduce an auxiliary diagonal to reduce the 3D problem to 2D, and derive the formula x = √(a² + b² + c²). The course also emphasizes verification techniques (special cases, units, continuity) and builds transferabl…

• Identify the given dimensions (length, width, height) and the unknown space diagonal
• Apply Pólya’s phases to clarify the problem and devise a solution plan
• Introduce and label an auxiliary element (the base diagonal) to reduce the 3D problem to 2D