1.1. Introduction to problem solving using computers.

1.1 INTRODUCTION TO PROBLEM SOLVING USING COMPUTERS 

What is the Problem?

• A matter or situation that is unwelcome which needs to be dealt with and overcome.

• What does it mean? It means, in Computer Science, while developing different software's.

• Programmers come across variety of situations or Problems that they need to deal with and overcome.

For Example, Calculations, Searching, Sorting, List processing, Graph processing, Sound processing, storage and may more.

Example 1: Suppose teacher wants to know the average marks obtained by the class in a particular subject then calculations are involved to get the result.

Example 2: If you want to find the meaning of a particular word from a dictionary i.e “Holy”is the word you want to know the meaning then you have to apply a searching method.

Problem solving: A process of finding an efficient solution to the given problem.

• Problem solving is nothing but developing Algorithms for a specific problem or we can say giving step by step solutions to the problem. Solving problems using Computers requires thought process and proper planning. As computers have no brain like humans so we need to guide a computer by providing a set of well-defined steps or instructions or commands.

• In Computer Science, before writing any program, programmer has to solve the problem like human solves and then he has to convert that solution into the logical sequence i.e., Algorithm and then that algorithm he has to convert into diagrammatic representation i. e. Flowchart and then that flowchart to the specific program i.e. Programming to get the required solution.