problem solving techniques in programming

If you see someone else’s code or have someone to guide you, you can follow along. Programmers can improve their problem-solving skills by developing a methodology for problem-solving and then following that methodology to carefully pursue a solution. I generally use console.log() after each variable or line or so. Redo a problem or do similar problems. Save different versions of my file if I am trying out a completely different approach. There is a difference between the problem and the problem you think you are solving. Taking extra time in the beginning is worth it. “Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability.”, — Edsger W. Dijkstra, Dutch computer scientist and early pioneer in many research areas of computing science. Some of the feedback I hear from new developers working on a programming problem revolves around uncertainty of where to start. Don’t get caught up with the syntax. These steps may be written in detail. Install WordPress Using Softaculous cPanel. Product Advertising Definition for Google Ads. Check out Stack Overflow. // is what the line was in pseudocode. After desk checking and debugging, the program may run find in the laboratory. Pseudocode generally does not actually have specific rules in particular but sometimes, I might end up including some syntax from a language just because I am familiar enough with an aspect of the programming language. After working though each line of my pseudocode, below is what we end up with. Sometimes new developers will get hung up with the syntax that it becomes difficult to move forward. Text that is bolded is the actual code in JavaScript. You’ve probably noticed by now that simplifying and optimizing are recurring themes. The source program is usually written on coding sheets (a special sheet designed to write computer programs) then entered into the computer. Here are some techniques I use: “The most effective debugging tool is still careful thought, coupled with judiciously placed print statements.”, — Brian W. Kernighan, Computer Science Professor at Princeton University. Only during the first few years, computer programs were prepared in actual machine language or machine codes. The term algorithm may be formally defined as the sequence of instructions designed in such a way that if instructions are executed in specified sequence, the desired results will be obtained. Starting an Online Business with an Agile Mindset. By doing this, I catch any issues before I get too far. Problem solving techniques provides all steps, like Algorithm, Flowchart or block diagram, Coding, Program debugging, Running. The program is a man’s method of conveying to the computer in a language, which it can understand. Understanding SEO Benefits for the Business. Because your brain may already be familiar with even numbers, you may just look at a sample set of data and pull out numbers like2 , 4 , 6 and so forth in the array without fully being aware of each and every step your brain is taking to solve it. Problem Solving Techniques in Computer Programming. Program Documentation in Computer Programming. When I encounter bugs, I trace the code line-by-line to see if there was anything that did not go as expected. See if you can reduce any steps or if you are repeating any steps. Problem Analysis in Computer programming is the process where we break down problems into its …. But don’t forget to enjoy the journey.”, — Michael Josephson, Founder of Joseph and Edna Josephson Institute of Ethics, create an array evenNumbers and set that equal to an empty array, function selectEvenNumbers(arrayofNumbers) {, // for i = 0 to i = length of evenNumbers, for (var i = 0; i < arrayofNumbers.length; i++) {, How to Practice for Technical Interview Questions. I go through this a few more times. This comes in handy when I am working on more complex problems. It may seem a little complicated, but dealing with programming assignments almost daily, you already know that once you know the algorithm and have a tested and proven methodology, efficiency of your work increases … Look for patterns and see if there’s anything you can generalize. For our problem, there are many different ways to do this. If you get helpful feedback, implement it. Here’s my process and some tips to tackling a sample problem that hopefully some of you may find helpful in your journey. We also don’t need to use a for loop with this approach. What is difference in Between categories tags. Debugging throughout will help you catch any syntax errors or gaps in logic sooner rather than later. If any error is found, then it is removed before entering. Below is an example of what values I would check when I am first starting out. Even experienced developers are always practicing and learning. You can’t solve a problem you don’t understand. Live in District Jacobabad, Sindh, Pakistan. I have started blogging on Information Technology, my selected areas are Online Business, Digital Marketing, Make Money Online. They checked each and every step with care but the error was still there. You understand the problem, the logic, basics of the syntax, etc. When the program has been coded, then it is executed manually to find out any possible errors, this process is termed as “dry run of Program”. These error messages are very useful and are used by programmers to find out all syntax errors in their programs. Everything You Ever Want to Know About Target Audience, YouTube Marketing and Monetizing Tutorial, How to Make Money with Affiliate Marketing, Adding WordPress Images to Posts and Pages. After the analysis of the problem, it is possible to list out the steps that must be followed for the solution. It makes a map or picture of the flow of activities of a program. Sometimes I’ll even try explaining the problem to a friend and see if her understanding of my explanation matches the problem I am tasked with. That’s why it’s important to write useful comments to avoid problems and save time later on if you need to come back to it. Programming anything is tedious because most of it requires perfect accuracy and a dedicated individual. You can do this either on paper or as comments in your code editor. There are sometimes several ways to approach a problem. Check the console to see what the error message says. Once this picture with the help of flow chart symbol in drawn the coding of the program becomes easy. It helps understand what a particular function is doing and why. Comment out chunks or lines of code and output what I have so far to quickly see if the code is behaving how I expected. This way, we don’t have to define another variable evenNumbers because filter will return a new array with copies of elements that match the filter. The detailed series of steps are written for the computer, in order to produce the desired result. When you have your pseudocode ready, translate each line into real code in the language you are working on. If this is challenging, try using large sets of data as it will override your brain’s ability to naturally solve the problem just by looking at it. When they removed that bug, then the program was successful. All language compilers and interpreters are designed to detect syntax errors. Then replace each line in your pseudocode. Here are some questions that run through my mind: Take out a piece of paper and work through the problem manually. Edge case: problem or situation that occurs only at an extreme (maximum or minimum) operating parameter. There is a difference between the problem and the problem you think you are solving. Today most programs are written in the symbolic language is called “ source program”, while its translation into machine codes is called “object program”. If it is even, I add that to, Repeat step #5 and #4 until there are no more elements in this array. Have faith in how far you can go. Algorithm (Solution Design). Let’s pretend we are creating a simple function selectEvenNumbers that will take in an array of numbers and return an array evenNumbers of only even numbers. This gives me a rough idea of where to start, although the issue sometimes may not be at this line at all. If you are making even a popular game like Hangman, be sure to read through any rules even if you’ve played it before. However, it then needs to be tested with real date and real users, called beta testing. If there are no even numbers, return the empty array evenNumbers. Write pseudocode line by line. My Name Mohammad Ramzan Bhutto. Learn These Three JavaScript Functions and Become a Reduce Master! The flow chart or block diagram helps you to pictures the solution of a problem. Through the use of clear variable names, function names, and comments, you (and others) should be able to understand: Get feedback from your teammates, professors, and other developers. Read the problem at least three times (or however many makes you feel comfortable) You can’t solve a problem you don’t understand. Celebrate each success and be sure to remember how far you’ve come. For example, you can use filter but for the sake of keeping this example as easy to follow along as possible, we will use a basic for loop for now (but we will use filter later when we refactor our code). Being a good problem solver isn’t something that people have an innate ability to do, rather it is something that is studied, learned, and analyzed, which makes it much more desirable to have problem solving skills in programming. Corner case: a problem or situation that occurs outside of normal operating parameters, specifically when multiple environmental variables or conditions are simultaneously at extreme levels, even though each parameter is within the specified range for that parameter. I do this throughout my code as I type it out. This helps me check if the values and code are behaving as expected before I move on. which are used in computer programming. Indeed, it is even advisable to test it with bad data that is faulty, incomplete, or in overwhelming quantities, to see if you can make the system crash. Refer back to the problem to make sure you are on track. This will not change the original array. Here is an example of pseudocode that has more words: Here is an example of pseudocode that has fewer words: Either way is fine as long as you are writing it out line-by-line and understand the logic on each line. It’s easy to start reading the first few lines in a problem and assume the rest of it because it’s similar to something you’ve seen in the past. An Introduction of Computer Programming Languages. If you’re starting out and find blank screens to be daunting or distracting, I recommend doing it on paper. “Programs must be written for people to read, and only incidentally for machines to execute.”, — Gerald Jay Sussman and Hal Abelson, Authors of “Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs”. We will use JavaScript for this example. Consider corner and edge cases as well. “No matter how slow you are writing clean code, you will always be slower if you make a mess.”, — Uncle Bob Martin, Software Engineer and Co-author of the Agile Manifesto. The better you understand the problem, the easier it will be to solve it. With each problem you solve, the better a developer you become. 1. I don’t want to lose any of my work if I end up wanting to revert back to it. Remember that programming, like with anything, comes easier and more naturally with time. Sometimes it’ll point out a line number I need to check. I try to write brief, high-level comments that help me understand what’s going on if it is not obvious. For example, below are some sets of sample data to use: When you are first starting out, it is easy to gloss over the steps. The procedure of writing a program is called “coding”. Problem Analysis. This approach may remind you of Mathematical Induction in that you: Even after you’ve worked out general steps, writing out pseudocode that you can translate into code will help with defining the structure of your code and make coding a lot easier. Problem solving techniques provides all steps, like Algorithm, Flowchart or block diagram, Coding, Program debugging, Running. Focus on the logic and steps. Then I call the function and give it some sample sets of data we used earlier. But maybe you feel uncertain about doing it yourself and have trouble turning your thoughts into code at first even though you understand the syntax or logic. I have some sets with just one element, some with floats instead of just integers, some with multiple digits in an element, and some with negatives just to be safe. This entire procedure is called “Debugging”. After feeding the program in the computer, it is executed to find out any syntax or logical error. This step really should be throughout the process. After this event, whenever these programmers were asked to the success of a new program, they answered that  “ We are debugging”. You don’t want to find out halfway through that you misunderstood the problem. That helps you work through the real algorithm. In this example, one way of optimizing it would be to filter out items from an array by returning a new array using filter. 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