Problem Solving
How to Solve Mathematical Problems
It is useful for engineers of all stripes to build a personal toolkit of problem solving techniques. This small volume serves admirably as an introduction to problem solving and is chockful of motivating examples demonstrating each technique.
The Towers of Hanoi, for example, is a staple problem for budding computer scientists to cut their teeth on algorithm design. By exploring several different approaches to this and other problams, the author Wayne A. Wickelgren takes the challenge away from low-level algorithm implementation and into the realm of selecting an approach.
Wickelgren explores depth first, induction, sub goal and working backwards among others in an ongoing discussion with the reader. First he sets the problem and gives a clue as to how to solve it, then adds more information until, almost magically, the path towards the answer becomes obvious to the reader.
At least it is while reading the lively discourse. Readers will need to put in a lot of practice in order to be able apply these methods in their everyday work. That said, the intent is to empower the reader by adding more tools to his kit of problem-solving techniques.
Software engineers need to know a lot more than just computer science and I heartily recommend this read to anyone who wants to excel in problem solving in a professional setting.
It is useful for engineers of all stripes to build a personal toolkit of problem solving techniques. This small volume serves admirably as an introduction to problem solving and is chockful of motivating examples demonstrating each technique.
The Towers of Hanoi, for example, is a staple problem for budding computer scientists to cut their teeth on algorithm design. By exploring several different approaches to this and other problams, the author Wayne A. Wickelgren takes the challenge away from low-level algorithm implementation and into the realm of selecting an approach.
Wickelgren explores depth first, induction, sub goal and working backwards among others in an ongoing discussion with the reader. First he sets the problem and gives a clue as to how to solve it, then adds more information until, almost magically, the path towards the answer becomes obvious to the reader.
At least it is while reading the lively discourse. Readers will need to put in a lot of practice in order to be able apply these methods in their everyday work. That said, the intent is to empower the reader by adding more tools to his kit of problem-solving techniques.
Software engineers need to know a lot more than just computer science and I heartily recommend this read to anyone who wants to excel in problem solving in a professional setting.
posted by Daniel Berinson at 7:50 PM
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