How To Think Like A Programmer - Learn To Solve Problems!
Introduction to Problem Solving
In this video, the speaker discusses the importance of problem-solving skills in software development and shares a problem-solving framework that involves three steps.
Importance of Problem-Solving Skills
- Employers prioritize problem-solving skills over programming language proficiency, debugging, and system design.
- Demonstrating computational thinking or the ability to break down large complex programs is just as valuable as technical skills required for a job.
Problem-Solving Framework
Step 1 - Know Exactly What Is Being Asked
- Most hard problems are hard because you don't understand them.
- To know when you fully understand a problem, explain it in plain English.
- Write down your problem, doodle a diagram or tell someone else about it. If you can explain something in simple terms, you don't really understand it.
Step 2 - Plan
- Don't dive right into solving without a plan and hope to muddle your way through. Plan your solution by writing down the exact steps needed to solve the problem.
Step 3 - Divide
- Do not try to solve one big problem instead break it into sub-problems that are easier to solve then solve each sub-problem one by one beginning with the simplest means which doesn't depend on others being solved first.
- Once every sub-problem is solved connect all your sub-solutions together to get the solution to the original problem using "reduce the problem technique".
Conclusion
- Problem-solving is a meta-skill that is important in all aspects of life.
- Having a problem-solving framework and continuously practicing it can make you more effective in solving problems.
- To become a good problem solver, you need to solve a lot of problems and continuously practice the problem-solving technique.
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