Problem Solving
-
1.1 (Understanding the problem): Can I restate the problem in my own words?
-
1.2 (Understanding the problem): What are the inputs that go into the problem?
-
1.3 (Understanding the problem): What are the outputs that should come from the solution to the problem?
-
1.4 (Understanding the problem): Can the outputs be determined from the inputs? In other words, do I have enough information to solve the problem?
-
1.5 (Understanding the problem): How should I label the important pieces of data that are a part of the problem?
-
2.1 (Explore Concrete Examples): Start with Simple Examples
-
2.2 (Explore Concrete Examples):Progress to More Complex Examples
-
2.3 (Explore Concrete Examples): Explore Examples with Empty Inputs
-
2.4 (Explore Concrete Examples): Explore Examples with Invalid Inputs
-
3.1 (Break It Down): Explicitly write out the steps you need to take
-
4.1 (Solve/Simplify): Solve the problem, If you can\'t, solve a simpler problem!
-
4.2 (Solve/Simplify): Find the core difficulty in what you\'re trying to do
-
4.3 (Solve/Simplify): Temporarily ignore that difficulty
-
4.4 (Solve/Simplify): Write a simplified solution
-
4.5 (Solve/Simplify): Then incorporate that difficulty back in
-
5.1 (Look Back and Refactor): Can you check the result?
-
5.2 (Look Back and Refactor): Can you derive the result differently?
-
5.3 (Look Back and Refactor): Can you understand it at a glance?
-
5.4 (Look Back and Refactor): Can you use the result or method for some other problem?
-
5.5 (Look Back and Refactor): Can you improve the performance of your solution?
-
5.6 (Look Back and Refactor): Can you think of other ways to refactor?
-
5.7 (Look Back and Refactor): How have other people solved this problem?