INTRODUCTION
Problem and problem solving is the indispensible fact of life and an integral part of mathematics. Problem is an effort
which arouses the need to solve in the individual, whose way of solution the individual does not know and which the
individual tries to solve (Charles and Lester, cited by Baykul 1999). While Polya (1945) defines problem as seeking for
the appropriate step to be taken in a conscious way so as to eliminate the uncertainty but failing to reach the desired one,
Dewey describes as a situation leading to uncertainty confusing human intellect (Baykul 1999). According to Baki
(2006), problem is a notion which arouses uneasiness in the individual and therefore leads him to seek for a solution
using his own knowledge and experience. The above-mentioned definitions presents the three main characteristics of
problem: it is difficult for the person who encounters it, it arouses the need to solve in the individual and the person
encounters it first time at that moment and thus the individual has no preparation pertaining to its solution (Altun 2005).
According to Dewey, if a problem is situation which creates uncertainty in the human intellect, then problem solving is
the elimination of these uncertainties (Tanrıseven 2000). In a broader sense, problem solving is cognitive and affective
process that covers devising various alternative ways and then selecting and applying the suitable one among those
ways in order to cope with the uncertainty (Güçlü 2003). Solving a mathematical problem is, on the other hand, the
reflection of the processes which advocate to reach a solution and to make generalization (Sağlamer 1980). Polya
(1945) defines the process of problem solving in four steps: a) understanding the problem, b) determining the strategy,
c) applying the selected strategy, and d) assessment.