Problem Solving Website Production

Three Phases of Problem Solving Know Need Do

Know What do I know? What facts am I starting with? Define the problem

Need What do I need? Whats missing? What other facts do I need to find or determine?

Do What do I need to do? Develop a method, a solution, an algorithm for solving the problem Execute the algorithm

Example At a party, Mary ate 3 slices of pizza, Frank ate 4 slices and Sally ate 2 slices. What is the average number of slices Mary, Frank and Sally ate? Know Need How to compute an average

Do To find an average … –Sum values –Divide sum by count = 9 slices 9 slices / 3 people = 3 slices / person Easy, true? Now for something completely different!Now for something completely different!

Problem Given: –You are re-flooring a room using 1 x 1 wood tiles –Tiles come 24 to a box –Tiles cost $75 per box Develop a step-by-step method to determine how much the tiles will cost to complete the job You have 20 minutes

Remember Know – Need – Do Write everything down Dont keep it in your head Use drawings, words, or whatever works for you Test out your method Turn your method into a Word doc

How well did you do?How well did you do?

Room No

Room No

Room No

Time to share! Write up your method as a step-by- step process Hand this process over to another team Read and critique another teams method and return it to them Review the comments concerning your method

How well did you do? Did your work for each of the three rooms? Did you need to adjust your method at any point? What about columns, and other cutouts? Would your method work for other size tiles? For carpeting?

Write this down! A chef wishes to create a special for her menu, using fresh ingredients. Earlier this morning, she bought ten pounds of mushrooms, a twenty pound sack of blue potatoes, and ten fish, each weighing five pounds. Assuming each meal will consist of 4 ounces each of cooked mushrooms, cooked potatoes, and cooked fish, how many meals can she prepare?

Start working! What do you know? Whats missing? Where can you find whats missing? Can you answer this problem right now?

More Problems Given the map to the right, determine the fastest way to get from New City to Old Town. Little Villag e New City Big Rock Old Tow n Side Plac e 15 miles, 30 mph 25 miles, 45 mph 20 miles, 60 mph25 miles, 20 mph 45 miles, 60 mph

Once more … What do you know? Whats missing? Where can you find whats missing? Can you answer this problem right now?