Algorithms For Dummies

Starting to Solve a Problem

Before you can solve any problem, you must understand it. It isn’t just a matter of 

sizing up the problem, either. Knowing that you have certain inputs and require 

certain outputs is a start, but that’s not really enough to create a solution. Part of 

the solution process is to

 

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Discover how other people have created new problem solutions

 

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Know what resources you have on hand

 

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Determine the sorts of solutions that worked for similar problems in the past

 

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Consider what sorts of solutions haven’t produced a desirable result

The following sections help you understand these phases of solving a problem. 

Realize that you won’t necessarily perform these phases in order and that some-

times you revisit a phase after getting more information. The process of starting 

a problem solution is iterative; you keep at it until you have a good understanding 

of the problem at hand.

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CHAPTER 2