Page 42 - UR221 Creative & Scientific Thinking_Neat

3.18 Problem Definition and Analysis

5. Testing and Evaluation

6. Optimization and Improvement

Skipping or weakening any step can lead to incorrect or inefficient solutions.

3.18 Problem Definition and Analysis

Problem definition involves clearly identifying:

ˆ nputs I

ˆ utputs O
ˆ onstraints C

ˆ equirements R

Poorly defined problems often lead to failed software projects. Example: Problem state-
ment: “Calculate the average of a list of numbers.” Analysis:

ˆ nput: A list of numbers I

ˆ utput: A single numeric value O

ˆ onstraints: The list may be empty C
Clear analysis prevents logical errors during implementation.

3.19 Decomposition Technique

Decomposition is the process of breaking a complex problem into smaller, manageable
sub-problems. This technique is fundamental in algorithm design and software engineer-

ing. Example: Student Management System

ˆ nput handling I

ˆ ata validation D

ˆ rocessing logic P
ˆ utput display O

Each sub-problem can be solved independently and then integrated.

Programming Example: Decomposition

33