MATH 140 Class Exercise 1 Names______________________________

Determine how many students there are in this class. The question we will investigate is as follows: If each student in the class shakes hands with every other student in the class, how many handshakes will there be?

1. On page 19 of the text is an outline of the Four-Step Problem-Solving Process. Read through that paying particular attention to step 2.

2. Write down your ideas about how to solve this problem.

3. Discuss your ideas with the group and write down any new ideas that result.

4. Solve the problem. Here step 2 of the problem solving process is important. Describe how you have solved the problem. If you couldn’t solve the problem in the class period, describe what you did accomplish.