Tips for Problem-Solving

• Don't panic!

• Read & re-read until you fully understand the question.
• Give yourself more than 2 minutes!

• Allow yourself plenty of scratch paper
• What are the known facts? List all known info.

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• Don't look for memorized/book solutions; instead, EXPLORE!

• Don't try to solve it in one single step! "slow & steady
  wins the race". Write down (& think about) each step.

  Draw pictures, diagrams, schematics, graphs,..

  Can you simulate, act-out, or make physical models?

  Look for relationships, structures, and patterns

  Does this problem have two (or more) possible "cases" ?

  Ask yourself, "have I solved somewhat similar problems?" How?

  If still stuck: "Have I solved a similar, easier/simpler problem?"

  Can the problem be solved "backwards" -- from end to start?

  What do you know about the solution?

  E.g. "I don't know the answer but it's an odd number, <100"