Keeping a problem simple

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. Which problem is small enough to solve in a few steps?

A Build a whole video game with 20 levels

B Make a timer that counts down from 10

2. What should you do with a problem that is too big?

A Break it into smaller problems

B Try to solve it all at once

3. A school wants an app to run the whole canteen. Which is a smaller part you could solve?

A A screen to pick a drink

B Everything the canteen does

4. What is decomposition?

A Breaking a big problem into smaller parts

B Making a problem bigger and harder

5. You split a quiz game into: asking questions, scoring points and showing the winner. What have you done?

A Solved the whole problem in one go

B Split the problem into parts

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1decomposition		AThis problem is too big. It cannot be solved in a few steps, so it needs to be split into smaller parts, like fixing the bubbler queue.
2Problem: Plan a school fair Part 1: Make posters		BA big problem split into a smaller part to solve first
3A big problem can be split into smaller parts		CBig problem: Build a class game Parts: 1 Idea, 2 Rules, 3 Score
4Choose one part to solve first		DStart with: Part 2 Rules
5Problem: Fix everything about our school		EThe parts are all the same. Each part should be a different smaller problem, such as choose a pet, make a cage, plan feeding.
6Parts: 1 Pick a pet, 2 Pick a pet, 3 Pick a pet		FBreaking a big problem into smaller parts that are each simple to solve

Definitions

decomposition

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

_____________ = split a big problem up

BIG PROBLEM: Plan a class party _____ it into parts: food, music, games SOLVE food FIRST

BIG PROBLEM: Plan a class party SPLIT it into: food, music, games SOLVE food _____

IF problem is too ___ THEN SPLIT it into smaller parts END IF

part: Choose the music steps needed: 3 IF steps __ 5 THEN part is SIMPLE

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A BIG: Plan a school fair

B PART 1: Choose the date

C PART 2: Plan the whole fair

D SOLVE FIRST: Part 1

Question 2

A TASK: Pour a glass of water

B 3 steps, so it is TOO BIG

C Just right: solve it now

Question 3

A BIG: Make a class newsletter

B PART 1: Write the stories

C PART 2: Take the photos

D SOLVE FIRST: all parts at once

Question 4

A BIG: Make a birthday card

B PART 1: Ride my bike

C PART 2: Write the message

D SOLVE FIRST: Part 1

Question 5

A SIMPLE: Organise a class camp

B PART 1: Pick the place

C PART 2: Pack the bags

Answer Key

Keeping a problem simple

Section A: Quick Questions

B — Make a timer that counts down from 10

A — Break it into smaller problems

A — A screen to pick a drink

A — Breaking a big problem into smaller parts

B — Split the problem into parts

Section B: Match the Pairs

decomposition → Breaking a big problem into smaller parts that are each simple to solve

Problem: Plan a school fair Part 1: Make posters → A big problem split into a smaller part to solve first

A big problem can be split into smaller parts → Big problem: Build a class game Parts: 1 Idea, 2 Rules, 3 Score

Choose one part to solve first → Start with: Part 2 Rules

Problem: Fix everything about our school → This problem is too big. It cannot be solved in a few steps, so it needs to be split into smaller parts, like fixing the bubbler queue.

Parts: 1 Pick a pet, 2 Pick a pet, 3 Pick a pet → The parts are all the same. Each part should be a different smaller problem, such as choose a pet, make a cage, plan feeding.

Section C: Definitions

decomposition — Breaking a big problem into smaller parts, so each part is simple enough to solve in a few steps. You can then choose one part to solve first.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

decomposition = split a big problem up

BIG PROBLEM: Plan a class party
SPLIT it into parts: food, music, games
SOLVE food FIRST

BIG PROBLEM: Plan a class party
SPLIT it into: food, music, games
SOLVE food FIRST

IF problem is too big THEN
  SPLIT it into smaller parts
END IF

part: Choose the music
steps needed: 3
IF steps <= 5 THEN part is SIMPLE

Section E: Spot the Error

C — A part must be smaller than the big problem. 'Plan the whole fair' is the big problem again. It should be a small job like 'Make the posters'.

B — A problem that takes only a few steps is simple and just right to solve. It should say 'so it is SIMPLE'.

D — After splitting a problem, you choose just ONE part to solve first. Doing every part at once makes it big again. It should be 'SOLVE FIRST: Part 1'.

B — Every part must belong to the big problem. Riding a bike has nothing to do with making a card. It should be a card job like 'Draw the picture'.

A — Organising a camp has many jobs, so it is a BIG problem that needs splitting. The line should start with 'BIG:', not 'SIMPLE:'.