Problem Solving Logic·Intermediate·4 lessons·~280 min

Logic of Problem Solving: Goals, Constraints, and Strategy

How to reason from a problem state to a workable next move

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What you'll learn

By the end of this unit, you can…

Formalize problem state.
Compare strategies.
Name revision triggers.
Revise plan under new information.

Lessons

Lesson sequence

1
Understanding the Problem Before Solving It
Introduces problem states, goal states, and constraints as the backbone of disciplined practical reasoning, and establishes the habit of describing the problem before proposing a solution.
15 activities5 worked examples
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2
Building a Structured Problem Map
Teaches students to formalize practical reasoning into goals, constraints, candidate strategies, and a justified next step, using an explicit problem map that can be written down and critiqued.
15 activities5 worked examples
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3
Choosing and Revising a Strategy
Explains how to choose between strategies, track tradeoffs, and revise a plan when new information appears, including the discipline of naming revision triggers in advance.
15 activities5 worked examples
Student Pro
4
Capstone: Running the Full Problem-Solving Loop
An integrative lesson that asks students to take a real problem description, model it, generate candidate strategies, commit to one, build in revision triggers, and write a short postmortem plan for how they will know whether to revise.
2 activities1 worked example
Student Pro

How to study

Three moves that work for this unit

Read the explanation

Each lesson opens with a guided walkthrough — read it before the activity.

Study the worked example

Look at why each step follows, not just what the answer is.

Practice with the target in mind

Know which rule applies and what would make the response weak before you start.

Reference materials

Optional context for the unit. Each lesson surfaces the concepts and rules it uses — these are here when you want the bigger picture.

Concept map (7 terms)

Problem State

The current situation that must be understood before a reasonable plan can be formed, including what is known, what is unknown, and what has already been tried.

Goal State

The outcome or condition the reasoner is trying to reach, stated clearly enough to tell whether a proposed solution would actually produce it.

Constraint

A limitation, requirement, or condition that shapes which solutions are acceptable — time, budget, rules, resources, or policies.

Resource

Anything the reasoner can draw on to move toward the goal, including time, money, tools, information, or help from others.

Strategy Selection

The process of comparing available approaches and choosing the one that best fits the problem, given the goals and constraints.

Decision Revision

Updating a plan when new information shows that the original path is incomplete, inefficient, or blocked.

Revision Trigger

A specific observation or event that would signal the plan needs to change.

Rules and standards (4)

Clarify the Goal Before Choosing a Strategy. A strategy cannot be assessed well until the goal state is explicit and specific enough to recognize success. Common failures: The learner starts proposing solutions before identifying the actual goal.; The target outcome remains vague or shifts during the analysis..
Respect Constraints. A proposed solution must fit the relevant time, resource, and rule constraints of the problem. Common failures: The plan assumes resources that are not available.; The solution ignores explicit limitations or requirements..
Compare Options Explicitly. A good practical judgment weighs at least two plausible options before committing to a path. Common failures: Only one option is considered.; The chosen path is asserted without comparison or tradeoff analysis..