Problem Solving ideas

Sample quandary to think about (reflect on): here are some sites you may enjoy learning a bit from (but be careful not to rely too heavily on for your own thinking): www.HowStuffWorks.com  www.AllAboutCircuits.com, www.thecrashcourse.com, http://www.explainthatstuff.com/how-clockwork-works.html , www.khanacademy.org , www.njit.edu (note: some sites like Coursera.org may be more for-profit than others I’ve included but may have utility mentioning here too as they may at least spark ideas for a purpose in better grasping a concept aiding learning rightly..  You may also learn from sites that sell electric/electronic, mechanical, computer, etc components, items, modules, parts, products, accessories, systems, etc. like www.digikey.com, www.alliedelec.com, www.elexp.com, www.mouser.com, and www.jameco.com

Look up an authoritative source on computer systems(CS)/information technology(IT) terms such as a Microsoft MCSE Training Kit..Note: MCSE(Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer)/MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) topics concerning the steps involved when installing an operating system or in configuring software under certain conditions, such as: When is Windows Naming System (WINS) recommended/advisable or even required?The following may be some examples:

-if any NetBIOS names are required on computers or applications on your network

-if all computers on your network are configured and can support use of another network naming type, such as Domain Naming Systme (DNS)

-if your network is a single subnet or routed with multiple subnets

Don’t worry if the above 3 conditions are not clear right now (we’ll eventually make more sense of them when time allows)

Now look up a book such as A Brief Course in Q Basic  by David I. Schneider

How would you address a problem involving calculating the number of postage stamps needed for certain envelopes?  For example you may come up with an algorithm that says :

  1. Have a computer program ask for the number of sheets (which we’ll call “Num_of_Sheets” of paper to stuff into the envelope..
  2. Divide the number of sheets “Num_of_Sheets” by the number five (“5” may best be treated as an “integer” data type for your reference)
  3. Round up the quotient to the next highest whole number, then call it “Num_of_Stamps”
  4. Finally display the numerical value stored in “Num_of_Stamps” to the computer program user

The above steps are good programming practice by a person who programs (the “programmer” is not the same as the “user” although the programmer can test/run the program practice as a user to demo how a typical user would interact with the program)

NOTE: a flowchart can be used to show this in a graphical manner… See me about this..

Do now…

Think about expressions that have converse or inverse implications, such as “if A then B” versus “if B, then A” or “if not A, then not B”

How many things can you think of involving such relationships in any combination?

Such as all “LEDs are diodes but not all diodes are LEDs” versus “If a something [as an LED] is a diode, then it must allow electric current in only one direction.. otherwise it’s not a diode“?

How can you prepare to write a program in whatever language you choose that can simplify the steps needed to better understand and/or apply concepts such as Virtual Private Networking (VPN) where a public network characteristic is used for channeling private communications; Network Address Translation (NAT), where a single internet connection may be used such as Internet Connection Sharing (ICS); and/or Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA), which is yet another topic that may be confused with the preceding ones just mentioned…

More on all of this later… 🙂

how about a NYCIMG_1996 taxi fare calculator?