Problem solving methods

What is problem solving?

Problem solving is the process of understanding a challenge, breaking it into smaller pieces, and creating a step-by-step plan to solve it. Programming is not about memorizing syntax — it's about learning how to think clearly and logically.

You can think of problem solving like giving instructions to a robot: every step must be precise, ordered, and unambiguous.

// A simple problem:
// Given an array of numbers, return the largest one.

function findMax(numbers) {
  let max = numbers[0];

  for (const num of numbers) {
    if (num > max) {
      max = num;
    }
  }

  return max;
}

This solution didn’t come from magic — it came from breaking the problem down and solving one part at a time.

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💡 Insight : Good developers don’t start by writing code — they start by understanding the problem deeply.

</aside>

Why problem solving matters

Programming languages change. Tools change. Libraries change.

Why problem solving matters

You'll use problem-solving when:

fixing bugs
building features
designing systems
improving performance
reading other people’s code
preparing for interviews
collaborating in teams

This skill is the foundation of becoming a real developer.

Problem Solving

Problem solving is the foundation of programming. It’s not about typing code — it’s about thinking, understanding problems, breaking them down, and creating a clear plan that a computer can follow.