Bits & Bytes: Lesson 1 Problem Solving in Life and Technology

How do we get there from here?

Problem solving skills are essential to success in every aspect of life. You depend upon these skills for success in your personal life and finances, in your family and civic responsibilities, and in your professional career. Everyone has skills in problem solving yet you may have wondered how it is that some people are so good at it in some parts of their lives, but so miserable at it in other parts. We all know individuals who have no common sense yet are book smart, and we know others who have incredible skills for managing their personal finances but fail miserably in their relationships. We find ourselves wondering how they and at times, ourselves! can be so inconsistent in what appears to be simple problem solving skills. "he truth of the matter is that problem solving is not simple. Problem solving skills take practice and purposeful application of rules and processes to fit specific types of problems. #ost people learn these skills through interactions with family and friends, in school, or during career training. $ome of it is so ingrained in our personality that we are unaware of our own thought processes. %or e&ample, when you get dressed in the morning, you probably don't have to think through the articles of clothing you will need pants, a shirt, ( socks, etc.!, and you probably don't consciously determine ahead of time what order to put them on in. "here are many different kinds of problems to be solved in life and in the field of computer science, and conse)uently, there are different strategies to solve them. People engaged in technology and computer science share this dependency upon e&traordinary problem *

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solving skills for creating all of the conveniences, gadgets, and modern wonders we have come to depend upon. .et's start our discussion of problem solving with a description of types of problems and e&plore how each of these types can be reflected in technology and computer science. "hen, we'll look at the strategies to solve these types of problems, the uni)ue strategies of solving problems in technology, and finally, consider ways to improve one's problem solving skills. /s we go along you will have the opportunity to think about problem solving from a personal perspective. Problems with clear-c t answers and sol tions Problems with definite answers that are solved with prescriptive strategies are the type that many of us spent years practicing in school. "hese are typically the problems at the end of the chapter in a math, physics, or computer science te&tbook. We learned that in order to get the right answers all we need to do is follow the rules described in the chapter. 0f only life were so simple1 0ndividuals who are very adept at this type of problem solving are sometimes called book smart and are very skilled at remembering the rules. $ometimes this type of problem is referred to as being highly structured 2 no guess work re)uired. 0ndeed, some of life is clear3cut4 balancing your checkbook, following a recipe, putting together a model, installing new software, and writing a formula to calculate the average rainfall for the year. 5nfortunately, most of the big challenges in life, and in computer science, fall into other categories of problem solving. Problems with a fairly defined o tcome b t with many sol tion strategies "hings start to get messy when we're confronted with problems that have a fairly defined outcome but for which the solutions can be as varied as the individuals you meet in your daily commute. "his type of problem confronts us on a daily basis. 0n comparison to clear3 cut problems and solutions, these problems are only moderately structured.

0n your personal life you need to feed yourself and perhaps a family. "he defined outcome is that menus be nutritious, safe, and within your budget but the solutions to the problem are as varied as the cultures and tastes of the world1

E&amples of this type of problem in technology include a spreadsheet to plan a budget or a 6ob schedule to coordinate employee's shifts. "he solution is constrained by various factors such as the number of employees, the duration of each shift, etc., but the form and design of the solution can be )uite diverse. %or e&ample, creating the local area network for a small business re)uires a fairly straightforward application of hardware, but analysis and predictions of how employees will use the network, the volume of traffic, the future plans for e&pansion, and the changing business needs, will all impact the final solution possibilities. "his type of problem re)uires not only the book smarts to identify the data re)uired and the constraints of the problem, but also a certain level of creativity to imagine all the possible solutions. "he technology that makes up everything from our home security (

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systems to our automobiles, from appliances to personal entertainment devices, have created a demand for individuals skilled in solving this type of problem. Problems with no defined sol tion or defined sol tion strategy 7ow things are really getting complicated1 Problems with various acceptable solutions, no known solution, or perhaps no solution at all, and a myriad of strategies to find an answer most yet undiscovered!, tend to frustrate us the most. "hey lack almost all structure so we are left to fend for ourselves in order to create the structure through our own values and priorities. We deal with problems in this category daily, but they often re)uire much more time and effort to solve. We are confronted with )uestions such as- Where should 0 live8 What career should 0 train for8 What is the cure for cancer8 9ow do we achieve world peace8 What is my purpose on this earth8 We also face this type of problem with technology in our lives. What computer system will best fit my needs8 9ow do 0 select a communication service8 9ow should 0, personally, deal with privacy and security8 What is my role as a cyber3citi:en8 $ometimes we can call in an e&pert4 sometimes we 6ust have to solve the problems ourselves. /nd of course, in the world of computer science, computer scientists, programmers, and others, work to solve this type of problem as the very core of their profession- 9ow can a network to manage the pharmacy needs of customers across the country or around the world be created8 9ow can the huge amounts of data gathered by national security e&perts be manipulated and analy:ed to protect the lives and property of citi:ens8 What simulation can be programmed to predict, even divert, hurricanes8 What can be done to minimi:e the effects of climate change8 0s there other life in the universe8 What programming strategy will discover the essence of life reflected in our chromosomes8 "he good news is that this type of problem generates fun and creativity in life, and in computer science1 "he bad news is that this type of problem solving re)uires effort, knowledge, and a deliberate thought process for most of us. #ore good news is that problem solving is a skill that can be learned and enhanced.

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!et "eal
/naly:e your ability to solve problems by thinking through the following )uestions. *. $elect one area of your life to reflect upon 3 your hobby, 6ob, family, relationships, or civic role. Which category of problem solving are you most comfortable with in this life role8 /. Problems with clear cut answers and solutions. +. Problems with fairly defined outcomes but many solutions. <. =pen3ended problems where 0 can e&periment and be creative. (. 9ow did you learn the skills to solve this particular type of problem in this part of your life8 /. #y family modeled and reinforced these skills. +. #y teachers taught these skills. <. 0 learned them through trial and error. >. 0 modeled after others who were successful in this role. ;. Which problem solving type offers the most difficulties in this life role8 /. Problems with clear cut answers and solutions. +. Problems with fairly defined outcomes but many solutions. <. =pen3ended problems where 0 can e&periment and be creative. ?. %or each of the following problem solving categories, identify a life role for which this is your best problem solving skill set. "hink about your life roles as a parent, a friend, a volunteer, a student, a citi:en, or a wage earner. /. Problems with clear cut answers and solutions. +. Problems with fairly defined outcomes but many solutions. <. =pen3ended problems where 0 can e&periment and be creative. @. /ssess your current problem solving skills in regard to technology. 0n which of these technology areas have you encountered problems for which you have had the problem solving skills to solve8 /. <onfiguring technology components such as entertainment systems +. "rouble shooting or repairing hardware <. 5sing software such as spreadsheets or audio editing software >. <reating your own presence on the Web with a Web page or blog ?

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E. E&pressing creativity with graphic, music or video software %. /naly:ing problems and writing computer programs to solve them A. =ther specialty areas B. >escribe a frustrating technology related problem which you recently encountered. Cemember your comments4 we will return to this )uestion later.

Your answers will likely be different but here are some e&amples to get you thinking. *. Dim might select her family role to think about these )uestions and decide she is good at solving problems which have fairly defined answers but multiple solutions strategies. (. $he learned these skills as a child from her family who often discussed family and world events in terms of the possibilities that e&isted for solutions. ;. "he problems that are totally open3ended present her with the most difficulties. $he likes to find the best solution and it's difficult to recogni:e it with these types of problems. ?. $he decides that she is best with problems that have clear3cut answers in her role as an engineer technician. $he is also a good problem solver in her cooking hobby because she likes to e&periment with recipes clipped from maga:ines. Dim is best at solving totally open3ended problems in her role as park commissioner on the city council. @. +ecause of her engineering background, she is an e&cellent problem solver with configuring technology components and trouble shooting hardware. $he has never tried to write a computer program so she suspects it might be frustrating to start with. B. Cecently Dim created a blog to share her ideas and e&perience from her city council work. $he 6ust can't make it look professional or feel inviting.

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Learning Problem solving strategies

Your new understanding of the basic categories of problems faced in modern life is the first step to becoming a better problem solver. =nce you recogni:e the type of problem you are faced with, you can select an approach that will yield the most satisfactory results. <ertain solution strategies generally work best with specific types of problems. "e# est-"es$onse-"es lt Strategy "he "e# est-"es$onse-"es lt problem solving strategy is likely the one you are )uite comfortable with because you practiced it for years in school on those *E3)uestion worksheets and the review problems at the end of the chapter in the chemistry te&tbook. 0t's the strategy that correlates best to the clear3cut category of problems4 a re)uest is made, you respond with steps of a rule, and the one and only correct result is achieved. 0t works perfectly when applied to clear3cut problems.

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"his strategy rarely works well when applied to other types of problems. "ypically, people who go through life using only this approach to problem solving are said to see life in terms of black or white. $adly for them, they are unaware of other strategies that work more successfully in solving many problems faced in today's world. 0n the world of technology, individuals don't encounter too many of these problems for which they must apply the "e# est-"es$onse-"es lt strategy because technology has been created to do it very effectively for us. You own a calculator to do math, complete with built3in s)uare root, average, minimum and ma&imum functions. 0f you are an engineer, your computer likely has many functions built3in to solve problems of this type that are uni)ue to your work. "he same can be said for almost any 6ob. / store attendant uses a computer to automatically calculate a discount, the ta&, and the change. Emergency responders use computers that monitor patients and determine medicine dosages. Pilots use devices to determine arrival times based upon navigational data. Your microwave oven is even programmed to pop the corn with the touch of one button and the word processor 0 use follows rules of grammar to correct my writing1

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"he "e# est-"es$onse-"es lt is the type of problems that computers are very good at solving. / computer can )uickly accept a re)uest, apply a response based upon any number of rules, and display the result. #aking computer solve these problems is the work of computer programmers who create programs for computers and a wide variety of devices with embedded, or hidden, computer components in appliances, automobiles, and gadgets of all sorts.

%mbedded 3 / hidden component of a larger system such as the computer components in your car.

"hese programmers design the algorithm for the computer to follow to match the data, the specific conditions, and criteria for a satisfactory result. ,lgorithm 3 / precise and systematic method for solving a problem.

<ertainly there are times while working with technology at which we use this problem3 solving strategy ourselves. $uccessfully plugging in the components of your computer is simple if you follow the rule to match the color of the cord with the color of the socket. 0nstalling software is a bree:e if you follow the specific rules of the online prompts. Even the construction of a fairly comple& PowerPoint presentation has been made easier with wi:ards that guide you in following the rules.

The *+%,L Problem solving strategy With a name like *+%,L you would think that this is the best problem solving strategy available. "his strategy was developed during the *FBEs and GEs and is based on the idea that if you learn the strategy you can apply it to any problem situation on any topic. 0t is useful in many situations, and it fits well with the type of problem that is has several possible solutions. 0t lacks the opportunity to redo the effort because there is no built3in step for starting over. "here are @ steps that represent the acronym *+%,L. *. (. ;. ?. @.

*dentify the problem +efine the problem by sorting through the relevant information %&plore the possible options through brainstorming ,ct on the strategy selected Look back and evaluate the results of your actions

"his strategy can be applied to many technology problem areas, as well as the problems and challenges of daily life. When you're called upon to give a presentation to your work group you likely use this approach. 0n order to select the best format you ask yourself, G

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What is the goal of this presentation8, What constraints do 0 have in terms of e)uipment, time, skills8, and What is possible 2 PowerPoint, chalk talk, slide show, or .ive #eeting8 You select a format for your presentation based upon your analysis, and after the event, you criti)ue the outcome and add it to your list of e&periences to draw upon the ne&t time you make a presentation. "his style of problem solving has likely served you very well. "he *+%,L approach can be used in selecting computer components and software, configuring a local network, and writing computer programs to solve simple problems.

The /ircle-Bac0 1odel Cecent research into problem solving has found that there is considerably more to effectively solving comple& problems than 6ust knowing the steps of some particular techni)ue. #any problems must be approached from different angles through a process of trial and error, so the opportunity to evaluate the outcome and try again is critical. "he /ircle-Bac0 strategy is particularly effective in addressing technology3related problems, especially the comple& problems that programmers work on. <reating software to model weather patterns, or analy:e economic strategies, or control robots is not nearly as clear cut as the previous problem solving strategies would imply. "he /ircle-Bac0 strategy is used when failure is not an option4 when the problem might be worked on indefinitely and it is likely that it could take a great many cycles to arrive at a solution.

Ste$ 1: "e$resent the Problem

Ste$ -: Search for Sol tions

Ste$ .: *m$lement the Sol tion

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"he /ircle-Bac0 method involves ; basic steps that repeatedly cycle until a solution is achieved. Each ma6or step has many sub3components that are customi:ed to the situation and must be accomplished. "he beginning point is to Represent the Problem clearly and fully. "his step involves calling up all relevant information that impacts the problem, establishing the goal, and defining a starting point. 0n the world of technology and software development, this phase can take a long time and re)uire the e&pertise of many individuals. "he Search for Solutions step includes refining the goal based upon the research and work done in the first step and developing a plan of action to reach the goal. "he step to Implement the Solution is the action phase and it contains the critical activities of e&ecuting the plan created in the previous step and evaluating the results of the action. 9ere is where an important 6uncture occurs4 if the results do not meet the goal, the process is started again back at the first step of Representing the Problem and the /ircle-Bac0 process continues until success is achieved. "his approach to problem solving is especially valuable to computer scientists. #any of the problems they work to solve are huge and comple& without predefined solution sets. "he problems must be broken down into sub3problems. Each of the smaller problems is processed through the ; basic steps and when all the sub3parts are working, the whole plan can be constructed, implemented, and evaluated. $o how does this work in technology8 0magine the task of creating a video game for the Ibo&. $tating the goal is almost more than one can think about. "he game must have a great story line, realistic graphics, e&citing animation, fast response time, and on and on. 9ow would you even begin8 0t might be reassuring to know that big production computer games re)uire a team of hundreds of individuals. "here are artists, writers, programmers, audio specialist, musicians, marketers, testers and many more. Each specialty team is responsible for its own goals and problem solving cycles. "he <ircle3+ack approach is especially effective in comple&, open3ended problems that re)uire as much creativity as they do analytical problem solving skills.

!et "eal

/naly:e these technology situations. $elect the solution strategy you would use to solve the problem. *. "he network is infected with a virus and needs to be cleared. /. Ce)uest3Cesponse3Cesult +. 0>E/. <. <ircle3+ack F

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(. Your 0$P 0nternet $ervice Provider! notifies you that your mailbo& has e&ceeded its limit. /. Ce)uest3Cesponse3Cesult +. 0>E/. <. <ircle3+ack ;. Your engineering team is assigned to reprogram the assembly line robots at the local automotive plant. /. Ce)uest3Cesponse3Cesult +. 0>E/. <. <ircle3+ack ?. Your supervisor asks you to analy:e recent sales data in a graphic format for the department meeting. /. Ce)uest3Cesponse3Cesult +. 0>E/. <. <ircle3+ack @. Your company receives the contract to customi:ing the medial records software for the nearby hospital. /. Ce)uest3Cesponse3Cesult +. 0>E/. <. <ircle3back

/nswers*. +4 Cidding a system of a virus fits the *+%,L strategy because it has only one acceptable solution but many possibilities in terms of the tools and processes to use, as well as steps to insure future security. (. /4 <learing an email account is a clear3cut problem with the re)uired response of emptying one's mailbo& of unneeded files. 0t fits the "e# est-"es$onse-"es lt strategy because there is only one outcome and one solution. ;. <4 >esigning robotic systems is very comple& with many possible solutions that fit the /ircle-Bac0 strategy. Engineers will break the problem into small sub3problems establishing sub3goals, creating solutions, testing, and evaluating, and likely revising many times before constructing the entire system. ?. +4 >esigning the graphics to represent given data fits the *+%,L strategy because the outcome is fairly defined with several solutions to choose from for this single situation. @. <4 <ustomi:ing any system re)uires multiple cycles through the /ircle-Bac0 process through thorough analysis of the situation, careful determination of the goals and sub3goals, implementation of a detailed plan, and evaluation of its effectiveness. *E

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Strategy 2 3nowledge 4 %ffective Problem Solving

+ecause of recent research, we now recogni:e that understanding and applying a strategy to a problem isn't enough to effectively solve the problem. Cesearchers have found that there are many other factors that build good problem solving skills. 0n addition to selecting an appropriate strategy to fit the problem, you must have a deep base of knowledge in the sub6ect area of the problem. /dditionally, individuals need practice with a strategy within the conte&t of real3world problems. "his new thinking on the importance of having a solid base of knowledge in a particular sub6ect has changed the way educators and trainers teach problem solving strategies. "his must seem like a vicious circle4 how can you become a good problem solver without knowledge and e&perience, both which re)uire problem solving skills to achieve8 #y advice is to take it slow and easy, learn as you go, call for help when you need it, and continually try to piece together what you already know about the topic with what you are e&periencing in a current problem.

Self-Hel$ Strategies *. $tart with a realistic assessment of what you know and the e&periences that can be applied. (. /naly:e the situation 2 break it into smaller challenges ;. >raw upon your e&periences with similar scenarios ?. %igure out what you need to know and where to find it @. <ome up with a plan B. 0mplement it G. "est it H. Cepeat as necessary F. Evaluate the process and add to your e&periences account

Try it o t 0magine that you are having difficulties with the wireless network at home. 0t won't connect each family member's computer to the printer in the home office. 0n a panicked attempt to solve the problem, you unplugged everything, find the printer software, reinstalled it on every computer, hook each computer directly to the printer in hopes of helping the computers find it, and eventually give up and call upon the fifteen year3old living ne&t door.

0f you had the opportunity to apply strategies learned in this lesson, what might you have done differently8 **

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You would likely recogni:e that this is a problem that has only one acceptable outcome but perhaps there are several actions that can be tried to correct the problem. 0f you could redo the situation with the problem solving strategies you 6ust learned, you might have called in the fifteen year old first 6ust kidding1!. .ikely you would have used the /ircle-Bac0 method with more time spent on the first step of assessing the problem and recalling other e&periences you have had with the home network. You might have begun the debugging process by +eb gging breaking it into smaller pieces 2 checking if each computer had printer drivers, checking the wireless signal strength, 3 / method of discovering and the printer itself. You would have recalled what you the source of errors know about networks in general. Perhaps you would have causing problems in a checked the computer manual to discover where network system or process. settings are controlled, you might have searched for pertinent information in the printer manual, and maybe even checked online help forums. You probably would have telephoned a friend to gather more insights from her e&periences. /fter learning all you could, and thinking about past e&periences with your wireless network, you could formulate a plan of possible actions, e&ecute each action, evaluate the results of each action, and try other strategies until the problem was solved or until you decided to call in an e&pert. <ertainly following a problem solving strategy doesn't guarantee successful results every time. "hat is why the /ircle-Bac0 strategy is effective4 it's not an all3or3nothing scenario, and it offers opportunities for organi:ed skill development both in the conte&t of the specific problem at hand, and in problem solving in general.

!et "eal

.ook back to the technology problem you described for )uestion B in the first Aet Ceal section of this lesson2 >escribe a frustrating technology related problem which you recently encountered. $olve it again in your imagination by using the strategies from this lesson to identify how you might have arrived at a better solution with less frustration. 0n hindsight, what learning occurred in that e&perience that you can apply to a future situation8

Your answers will likely be different but here is what Dim might have saidCecently Dim created a blog to share her ideas and e&periences from her city council work. $he 6ust can't make it look professional or feel inviting. 9er revised strategy*. Dim knows nothing about blogs but can draw upon her e&periences writing council reports for the mayor. (. "he task can be broken into smaller problems- understanding how blogs work, creating an attractive online persona, and developing a 6ournal writing style. *(

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;. 0n college she was a reporter for the school newspaper which offered a similar e&perience. ?. $he decides she needs to learn about blogs, so she will visit several and ask a blogging friend for advice. *nterface 3 "he medium through which users interact with the computer. 0t might include button and menus.

@. 9er plan includes researching blog sites for helpful hints, finding a site that offers an appealing interface, and sharing her entries with family and friends before posting.

B. $he plans to create a time schedule with several sub3goals to make the pro6ect manageable. G. /fter implementing her plan she will test it by seeking input from citi:ens, evaluating the impact of her ideas, and then continue to grow and mature in the world of blogs by modifying her work as indicated from the feedback and self evaluations. 0n hindsight, Dim knows that this frustrating e&perience taught her that time spent gaining knowledge and looking at good e&amples is time well spent and that writing is a skill which can be transferred to new technologies.

5ormali6ing a $lan of attac0

/ll of us have a whole collection of rules we recite to help us with our grammar or to calculate the tip amount. "hese He ristic general rules of thumb are called heuristics. "hey provide 3 / general guideline or a general plan for solving problems. "he strategies for rule3of3thumb for solving problems described earlier in this lesson fall into the solving problems. category of heuristics4 they offer general guidance for our actions. <omputer programmers use problem solving strategies 2 or heuristics 2 to arrive at the general, overall, plain language solutions to solve problems using computers. 9owever, computers cannot interpret our normal language4 they do not make assumptions, draw conclusions, or interpret our meaning. +ecause computers cannot read our minds yet1!, the instructions they follow must be e&tremely detailed and presented in a logical order that leaves nothing to guess work. "his begins the action phase 2 writing software 2 for solving problems using computers.

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,lgorithms 7 The "eci$e in /om$ ter Science Writing software, even simple programs, re)uires a detailed ,lgorithm series of steps for the computer to follow. <omputer programmers, sometimes called software developers, 3 / precise and begin by creating a se)uential list of tasks which the systematic method for computer must perform in order to arrive at a solution. solving a problem. "his task list must be translated into a specific language which the computer can understand. "his list of steps is called an algorithm. >on't let the word scare you. /lgorithm is 6ust a technical term for recipe. <reating an algorithm re)uires critical thinking about the problem plus careful analysis of the situation, and goes hand3in3hand with problem solving strategies. "o think about the detailed re)uirements of a computer %8ec te program try this- Write out the instructions for making your favorite sandwich. 7ow, pretend you are a robot that 3 "o carry out a specific has no history of food preparation, and no e&perience with instruction step such as making a sandwich. Envision what happens when you a command in a e&ecute the step to "op with brown mustard and slice. computer program. Will the robot know you mean to open the 6ar of mustard, scoop * teaspoon from the 6ar, spread it evenly over the pastrami, top with another slice of bread ideally taken from the wrapper1!, and use a knife to cut from corner to corner8 0t's likely that the assumptions another human would make about creating a sandwich would be skipped by the robot and you would end up with the 6ar of mustard sitting on top of the meat and a big mess when an attempt to slice occurs. Writing a computer program involves a detailed algorithm containing the e&act steps to e&ecute in order to arrive at the desired outcome. .et's look at the algorithm for a task a computer could be programmed to complete 2 calculating the total cost of the pi::a you ordered.

0nputs 0ngredients! 7eed to know the si:e of the pi::a ordered 7eed to know the price list of the restaurant 7eed to know the number of e&tra toppings ordered

/lgorithm Cecipe! #ultiply the number of e&tras by .G@ /dd the cost of the e&tras to the base price #ultiply the new subtotal by .EB for sales ta& /dd the ta& to the subtotal *?

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/dd a delivery charge of ;.EE Print all charges and the total in itemi:ed list

/fter this planning step, the plain language instructions of the algorithm are translated into a programming language. "here are many languages that programmers use to communicate with computers. Perhaps you have heard of Jisual +asic, <K, or Lava. 0n later lessons we will e&plore algorithms to describe various tasks computers are often e&pected to accomplish and how languages are used to describe specific tasks to a computer. .earning a computer language is not too unlike learning another speaking language such as %rench or $panish. You decide what you want to say and then select the words to convey that meaning. +ut, more about that laterM

!et "eal

Write the directions for making a pastrami sandwich as an algorithm. +e as specific as possible.

Your answer might be a bit different but this is how 0 make a pastrami sandwich. 0nputs 0ngredients! +read Pastrami #ustard

/lgorithm Cecipe!.ocate the loaf of bread on the counter =pen the package of bread at one end Cemove ( slices %rom the refrigerator, get the package of pastrami and the 6ar of mustard =pen the package of pastrami Place ( slices on the face of one piece of bread =pen the 6ar of mustard 5sing a knife, scoop out an amount about the si:e of a marble 5se the knife to spread it evenly on the top surface of the pastrami Place the second slice of bread on top of the pastrami and mustard taking care to line up the edges *@

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5se the knife to cut the sandwich in half diagonally from the top left corner to the bottom right Place the sandwich on a plate, carry to a comfortable location, and en6oy1

S mmary
.ife presents us with problems every day, and thank goodness, problem solving is a learned skill. "o become more effective, it is helpful to analy:e the type of problem being confronted and select a strategy that fits the specific problem type. Problems can be categori:ed as problems with clear3cut answers and solutions problems with a fairly defined outcome and many possible solutions problems with no defined outcome or defined solution strategy

$olution strategies can take the form ofCe)uest3Cesponse3Cesult 0>E/. <ircle3+ack

/ny solution strategy is most effective if it fits the needs of the problem presented. 0n addition to being able to analy:e the type of problems being confronted and fitting an appropriate strategy to it, gathering knowledge of the topic is a vital element for success. "echnology helps us solve trivial, or clear3cut problems, as well as more comple& problems that, until recently, were totally unsolvable. <omputer scientists use heuristics to develop algorithms as a critical step in the problem solving process because computers can only follow very specific directions. / heuristic is a general guideline or rule3of3thumb for solving a problem. /n algorithm is a detailed instruction list for accomplishing a task which can be translated into a specific computer language. Loin me in our ne&t lesson when we further e&plore how computers can solve problems by modeling the real world and we delve into some of the inside details of computer science and programming.

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