Synthesis :Problem-Solving

What problems would you like to solve (one day)?

I prefer to solve most problems:

A. By relying on a logical approach

B. By relying on hunches and inspiration

If told I must follow one of the two professions, I would rather be:

A. A mathematician

B. An artist

I think people should solve problems by:

A. Careful analysis – you cannot afford to overlook details

B. Thinking up a large number of possible solutions – one might work!

If searching for an address in a strange city I would rather:

A. Look it up on a street guide

B. Ask a local resident how to get there

Most problems can be solved by:

A. A step-by-step process of elimination

B. Trying out all the possible solutions which come to mind

If I have mislaid something, I usually:

A. Search carefully through every possible hiding place until I find it

B. First think of the places it might be and then check them out

If asked for advice I usually:

A. Offer a few carefully considered suggestions which are almost certain to work

B. Come up with a large number of suggestionswhich may or may not work

When seeking the answer to a problem, I am most successful:

A. Working toward a solution on my own

B. Exchanging ideas as part of a team

When a piece of equipment breaks down, the best way of fixing it is to:

A. Take it apart, component by component, until the fault is found

B. Get a general idea of what might have gone wrong before trying out suitable repairs

The Pathfinder Approach

The Helicopter Approach

The Missing Dollar

Three students checked into a hotel and paid $30 for a room ($10 each). Later, the owner realised that he had incorrectly charged $30 – the room only cost $25. So,

the owner planned to return $5 to the students.

But after thinking for a while, the owner decided to keep $2 and to give the students back only $3.

The students were very happy because they paid only $27 for the room ($9 each). However, if they paid $27

and the owner kept $2, that adds up to $29.

What happened to the other Dollar?

Is problem ‘framed’ correctly?

#1 Check Your Assumptions

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE-SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIF-IC STUDY COMBINED WITH THEEXPERIENCE OF YEARS

Count the Number of Fs’

#2 Look carefully!

The Crime Scene: There is a small room. There is a window in the room that is open. There is a table in the room. There is broken glass on the floor. There is also water all over the floor. There are two dead bodies on the floor. What happened?

#3 Ask Questions

The police break into a locked room with no windows and they discover the body of a man dangling from a noose.

The security guard saw the dead man enter the room. The guard swears that no one else entered or left the room before or after the dead man entered it. The only way in or out of the room is through the door, which was locked. The ceiling is 25 feet high, and the noose only extends 4 feet down from the ceiling. There is no furniture of any kind in the room, nor are there any ladders, stairs, or other visible means to reach the noose.

How did the man hang himself?

5 Litres 3 Litres

How do you get exactly 4 Litres?

Remove 2 sticks to leave only 2 squares

#4 Generate many ideas /Try various alternatives