Problem-Solving Model

1. Identify the problem
   • What is the current situation/problem?
   • What is the problem to be solved?
2. Analyse the problem
   • What do we know already about the situation/problem?
   • What are our assumptions?
   • What is the knowledge base of the person for whom we’re trying to problem-solve? What can or do they understand?
   • What don’t we know yet about the whole situation/problem?
3. Brainstorm ideas
   • List all possible ideas to solve the problem.
   • No value judgment is to be passed on any suggestions.
   • The more ideas, the better.
4. Prioritize ideas
   • Establish pros and cons of each suggestion in step 3.
   • Rank the suggested ideas from step 3 according to set criteria.
5. List the steps to be taken following the chosen solution
   • What are the steps/instructions we should take according to the top solution ranked in step 4?
   • Will these steps/instructions be understood according to the knowledge base established in step 2?
6. Evaluate/test the solution
   • Do we have the desired results after following the steps in step 5?
   • Does the solution satisfy the needs of the person with the problem?
   • What are some of the areas that are not correct/satisfactory? (back to step 1)

Diagram of the Problem-Solving Model

Tower of Hanoi

In this Tower of Hanoi puzzle we are given a tower of disks (2-8), initially stacked in decreasing size on one of three pegs. The objective is to transfer the entire tower to the right most peg, moving only one disk at a time and never a larger one onto a smaller. Can you solve the problem ?

More Logic Problems

Try these Logic puzzles from plastelina