When presented with a problem of any kind, whether it be
mathematical, scientific, literary, or one of the myriad possibilities of
general life, it is important to employ the principles of "problem solving
strategy and process."
There are specific steps involved in the process of problem solvingâ€"a
strategy, if you will, that one can employ to break down any problem into a
series of workable steps.
The first step is always understanding the problem.
John Dewey stated that, "A problem well stated is a problem half
solved." This simply means that it is always important to understand the
problem based on five basic points that one must determine:
1. What is the problem'
2. What do I already know about this problem already'
3. How can I represent this problem'
4. What are the possible solutions'
5. How can I decide which solution(s) are correct'
Once the problem has been accurately identified, one must apply the
second step.
Namely, one must learn about the problem, and the issues and steps involved
in solving it:
1. What information do I need to acquire about this problem'
2. Will I, or someone else, be responsible for finding this
information'
3. Where can I find the information'
4. What can I do to learn the required information'
5. What can others teach me that will help me solve the problem'
Finally, after completing the following steps, on must progress to the
"problem solving" stage, where one must ask oneself:
1. How do I apply the information I have gathered and learned to
solve the problem'
2. How do I document the process and its solution'
3. Do I need to identify any similar problems that I might solve in
the same way'
The use of a problem solving strategy, su...