By applying computational thinking to an overarching problem, you can understand what the problem is and what it consists of.
The top-down approach is a problem-solving or design strategy where you
start by understanding the overall system or problem and then break it
own into smaller, more manageable components or sub-problems.
It involves decomposing a complex system or task into simpler and more understandable parts,
and then addressing each part in a systematic way.
The bottom-up approach is a problem-solving or design strategy where you start by understanding the smallest details or components of a system and then
gradually build your way up to the overall solution. Instead of starting with a broadverview, you begin with the specifics and then integrate them into a larger framework
Visual diagrams that represent the sequence of steps in an algorithm, using symbols to denote different types of actions and decisions.
Detailed, step-by-step written explanations of the algorithm, often used to communicate the logic in a human-readable format.
A high-level description of the algorithm using a notation resembling programming languages. Pseudocode is used to plan and discuss algorithms before actual coding.
Revision Questions :)
Understanding the Problem:
Define what it means to "understand the problem" in the context of software development.
Describe a situation where failing to properly understand the problem could lead to project failure.
Decomposing the Problem:
Explain the concept of problem decomposition.
Given a large problem, outline how you would decompose this into smaller, more manageable modules.
Pattern Recognition:
Define pattern recognition and explain its importance in problem-solving.
Provide an example of how pattern recognition might be used in software development.
Algorithmic Thinking:
What is algorithmic thinking, and why is it important in software development?
Designing Algorithms:
Describe the key characteristics of a good algorithm.
Flowcharts:
What are flowcharts, and how are they useful in representing algorithms?
Written Descriptions:
Explain how written descriptions can be used to convey algorithms.
Write a step-by-step description of an algorithm that determines if a word is a palindrome.
Pseudocode:
Define pseudocode and explain its benefits in the algorithm design process.
Write pseudocode for an algorithm that finds the largest number in an array.
Problem-Solving Techniques:
List and briefly describe three common problem-solving techniques used in software development.
Explain how these techniques can be applied to troubleshoot a software bug.
Algorithm Practice:
Write an algorithm to reverse a string.
Pseudocode Exercise:
Write pseudocode for an algorithm that calculates the average of a list of numbers.
Problem Decomposition:
Decompose the task of creating a simple calculator program (x,รท,+,-) into smaller modules.
Pattern Recognition:
Identify patterns in the following series and describe the next item: 2, 4, 8, 16, ...
Real-World Scenarios:
Describe how you would apply algorithmic thinking to automate a daily task you perform.