6.

Problem Solving Skills

Story: The look out man

Nicolas Bentley.

Summary:

A shop assistant in a jewellery shop shows precious antique rings to a prospective

customer, an American, when one of the jewels goes missing. The customer’s trouser turn-
ups are checked and he is even taken to an inner room for a more thorough search. But it is
not found. Another customer – this time a woman – walks in and after some casual inquiry
she turns to depart when the salesman asks her to stop. The missing property is found on
her person.

In this detective story, the detective is not “an extraordinary person, extraordinarily
favored by fortune” but “just an ordinary man who uses his eyes and his common sense to
the full”.

There are clues very cleverly laid in the course of the story so you too can be a detective if
you so wish. So when the shop assistant explains to his grateful employer how he detected
the crime, it does not totally surprise us. But did we anticipate him? Well, it depends on
how carefully we followed the leads.

About the Author:

The story ‘Look out man’ is written by Nicholas Bentley. Nicolas Clerihew Bentley was a
British author and illustrator, best known for his humorous cartoon drawings in books and
magazines in the 1930s and 1940s.

1 CSS| 6. Problem Solving Skills| Prof. Vastav Shastri| SDJ International College, Vesu, Surat.
 Nicholas Bentley - (14 June 1907 – 14 August 1978)

Story:
William Morris is 53 years old married man having a daughter who is also married.
William Morris is fond of reading and more than thirty years he had made study of
detective fiction .He works at Regnier’s , the antique Jewellery shop in Knights Bridge
. Miss Susskind is the only assistant in the shop. Mr. Regnier only attends special
customers and big buyers.

One day William Morris was Re- dressing the window and he notice one girl looking in
the window of Undertaker’s shop. There were couple of urns and photo of hearse in that
window, which would hardly interest any girl. She was wearing a long yellow overcoat
with brown checks. She had long yellow hair. She was wearing low heels.

He watches a little while and then was interrupted by a customer who was between thirty
five or forty years old and looks American and he was chewing a gum. He had a very
smooth looking pink face.

He asks William Morris to show him some rings. By his gestures William Morris soon
came to know that he knew nothing about the antique jewellery. William Morris now
knew that the man was judging the rings by the prize due to the lack of knowledge about
the antique jewellery. Morris noticed that he was completely left handed. There was one
ring of early seventeenth century and there were diamonds and rubies in motif. It was a

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beauty. Mr. Reginer was so fond of this ring that he put a fancy price on it so no one can
buy it.

There were three trays on the counter in front of American man but he still could not make
up his mind. Then he spotted fourth tray in the safe which was opened behind Morris. But
even before he laid it on the counter, that floral diamond studded ring was vanished.

William Morris felt quite stunned because such incident has never happen in 17 years that
anything in his charge at the shop had vanished .William Morris now knew that behind this
incident this man must be the reason but William Morris did not had any clues or proves
and therefore he could not balm the customer that man was smart in enough and had
knowledge how to thieves such precious thing within few minute.

Morris asked the customer to return the ring so that he can find the box to pack it.
Customer replied him that he hasn’t decided anything and he’s not having the ring.
Meanwhile Miss. Susskind went to Mr. Reginer to report the incident. Morris came out
from the counter and started looking for the ring everywhere so did the customer. Mr.
Reigner and Miss. Susskind too started looking for that ring in the shop. Mr. Reigner took
the American man to his office for the interrogation but nothing was found. Mr. Reigner
even checked his socks and shoes but there was no trace of ring.

Meanwhile another customer stepped into the shop. She was the same girl who was
looking into the undertaker’s shop early in the morning. Morris felt that it was just a
coincident. The girl pulled off her glove and took out a little tissue paper packet from her
bag. There was a cheap paste bracelet. The girl ask William Morris to repair that bracelet
.William Morris replied negatively that they do not repair broken Jewellery.William
thought that the girl also knew that they do not repair such broken Jewellery from the
behavior of the girl had some connection with that man who was completely left handed.
After getting the negative reply from the Morris she said thank you and accidently her bag
touched the tissue paper and slipped off from the counter.

when the bad of the girl slip of and when William Morris bent down .He has everything
clear in his mind about the lost ring .William Morris ask her to stock for a while but she
did not listen and she behaved as if she did not hear anything but then William Morris ask
her interrogate words that if she will not stop than he will ring alarm and the door in front
of her will be locked automatically after hearing that warning she atop William Morris
went to her and ask her to return that ring initially that girl did not want to give away the
ring but ultimately she had to return that ring to William Morris.

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 The face of the girl had gone very pale and she looked at William Morris
in a very frighten manner and went out the shop.
Later on Morris explained everything to Mr. Reginer that how small clues helped him to
solve this case. By three points / clues William Morris solved the case. These are;
1) Not so very often customers like American guy visit the shop that has no sense of
jewellery and taste. He had no idea what he really wants. This is the first point
where Morris got the suspicion in his mind.
2) This point is about the girl. Why would she was looking in front of undertaker’s
shop? Actually she was killing the time. And then she brought in the cheap paste
bracelet to the shop for repair. It’s easily noticeable from her behavior that she knew
that the bracelet was cheap and shop does not do repairs. All this passed through
when Morris looked at the bracelet.
3) Point no.3. There was nothing left handed about her. When she came in to the shop
she pulled off the left hand glove first and she undone the tissue paper with her right
hand. When Morris bent down to take the tissue paper, the girl’s left hand at just
about the same spot where the American placed his own. When Morris, Miss.
Susskinbd and Reginer were searching the ring on the carpet, the American looked
crossed at Miss Susskind and stop chewing his gum. During their search he didn’t
move in inch. He must have dispose the gum somewhere near / within his reach –
except underneath the counter. And when Morris bent down to take tissue paper he
saw the mark of ring which was pressed against the counter. At the same time the
girl was about to go out.

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 Problem Solving Skill
What is a Problem?
The Concise Oxford Dictionary (1995) defines a problem as:

“A doubtful or difficult matter requiring a solution”

“Something hard to understand or accomplish or deal with.”

Everybody can benefit from having good problem solving skills as we all encounter
problems on a daily basis; some of these problems are obviously more severe or complex
than others.

It would be wonderful to have the ability to solve all problems efficiently and in a timely
fashion without difficulty, unfortunately there is no one way in which all problems can be
solved.

“The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but
whether it is the same problem you had last year.”
-John Foster Dulles, Former US Secretary of State.

What is Problem Solving and Why is it Important?

The ability to solve problems is a basic life skill and is essential to our day-to-day lives, at
home, at school, and at work. We solve problems every day without really thinking about
how we solve them. For example: it’s raining and you need to go to the store. What do you
do? There are lots of possible solutions. Take your umbrella and walk. If you don't want to
get wet, you can drive, or take the bus. You might decide to call a friend for a ride, or you
might decide to go to the store another day. There is no right way to solve this problem
and different people will solve it differently.

“Problem solving is the process of identifying a problem, developing possible solution

paths, and taking the appropriate course of action”.

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Why is problem solving important? Good problem solving skills empower you not only in
your personal life but are critical in your professional life. In the current fast-changing
global economy, employers often identify everyday problem solving as crucial to the
success of their organizations. For employees, problem solving can be used to develop
practical and creative solutions, and to show independence and initiative to employers.

The ability to solve problems is a skill, and just like any other skill, the more you practice,
the better you get. So how exactly do you practice problem solving? Learning about
different problem solving strategies and when to use them will give you a good start.
Problem solving is a process. Most strategies provide steps that help you identify the
problem and choose the best solution. There are two basic types of strategies: algorithmic
and heuristic.

Algorithmic strategies are traditional step-by-step guides to solving problems. They are
great for solving math problems (in algebra: multiply and divide, then add or subtract) or
for helping us remember the correct order of things (a mnemonic such as “Spring Forward,
Fall Back” to remember which way the clock changes for daylight saving time, or “Righty
Tighty, Lefty Loosey” to remember what direction to turn bolts and screws). Algorithms
are best when there is a single path to the correct solution.

But what do you do when there is no single solution for your problem?

A popular one that is easy to remember is IDEAL [Bransford & Stein, 1993] :

Identify the problem

Define the context of the problem

Explore possible strategies

Act on best solution

Look back and learn

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IDEAL is just one problem solving strategy. Building a toolbox of problem solving
strategies will improve your problem solving skills.

Developing Problem Solving Processes

Problem solving is a process that uses steps to solve problems. But what does that really
mean? Let's break it down and start building our toolbox of problem solving strategies.

What is the first step of solving any problem? The first step is to recognize that there is a
problem and identify the right cause of the problem. This may sound obvious, but similar
problems can arise from different events, and the real issue may not always be apparent.
To really solve the problem, it's important to find out what started it all. This is called
identifying the root cause.

Example: You and your classmates have been working long hours on a project in the
school's workshop. The next afternoon, you try to use your student ID card to access the
workshop, but discover that your magnetic strip has been demagnetized. Since the card

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was a couple of years old, you chalk it up to wear and tear and get a new ID card. Later
that same week you learn that several of your classmates had the same problem! After a
little investigation, you discover that a strong magnet was stored underneath a workbench
in the workshop. The magnet was the root cause of the demagnetized student ID cards.

The best way to identify the root cause of the problem is to ask questions and gather
information. If you have a vague problem, investigating facts is more productive than
guessing a solution. Ask yourself questions about the problem. What do you know about
the problem? What do you not know? When was the last time it worked correctly? What
has changed since then? Where in the process is the problem occurring? Be curious, ask
questions, gather facts, and make logical deductions rather than assumptions.

Proverbs on Problem Solving Skills

1) EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING.
Every bad situation has some good aspect to it. This proverb is usually said as an
encouragement to a person who is overcome by some difficulty and is unable to see
any positive way forward. Thick and dark clouds sometimes obstruct the sun. When
it happens, the surroundings darken. It is not a pleasant sight. But if we look at the
clouds carefully we can see that their edges are tinted with a silvery glow. This glow
tells us that the sun is somewhere there behind the clouds. As time passes, the
clouds will move off and the sun will come out of it. This clever metaphor is used in
the proverb to denote that sorrows and calamities are only momentary. Wherever
there is sorrow, happiness will be somewhere nearby. Whenever there is shadow,
light should be nearby. And whenever there is darkness, the bright light is near. The
proverb teaches us not to lose hope in the hours of darkness and sorrow. It reminds
us to be optimistic and hopeful. It tells us not to lose heart because it might be just
when we are about to quit that victory reveals itself. Like the silver tint on the edges
of the dark cloud, happiness always lurks behind the darkest hour. ‘The famous poet
Shelley has expressed the idea in one of his poems - ‘The ode to west wind’ in
which asks, ‘if winter comes, can spring be far behind?’

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 2) GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES.

‘God Helps Those Who Help Themselves’. This proverb has two elements. The first
relates to human beings. It means that human beings should try to sort out their own
problems. The second relates to God and means that God will help human beings who do
this. So, overall it means that God will help us if we first try to sort out things for
ourselves. Having faith in God is completely different from having dependency on God.
People should do their part, God will automatically help them. People should never be
ideal or dependent on God in such manner that he will do all your work, just because you
are dependent on him. To relate this viewpoint, someone has efficiently made a statement
in this way that “God helps those who help themselves”. Most of us completely agree with
this statement, until we do not effort for ourselves, no one can help us. We should at least
try and have patience before leaving it on God.

Destination always comes to those passengers who walk on the right way, thus without
doing efforts nothing can be achieved even thinking of getting success without doing
efforts is completely foolishness. A man is always recognized by his work thus to do
continue efforts will always make you profitable and gainful. A lazy man is always treated
as un-respectable in his family and society. God always bless those people who know how
they can help themselves by doing hard work. God has created this world and blessed
people with different strength and talents, and this is itself a favor. Expecting more from
God in spite of working at your own level is not acceptable at all.

3) THERE’S NO USE CRYING OVER SPILT MILK.

You should not get upset or feel sorry about something that has happened which you
cannot change or fix. You should keep moving forward instead of looking back at
something bad which happened.
Origin
“Spilt” is the past participle of the verb “to spill”,
which means to accidentally drop a liquid, so “spilt
milk” (or “spilled milk”, which is more common in
American English) is milk that you have dropped and
now cannot get back. There is no use crying over it
because it won’t change the situation; the problem is a
small one, and it is therefore better to move forward
positively than to waste time worrying about it.
In 1659 the original idiom was published in a list of proverbs by James Howell as
“no weeping for shed milk”. “Weeping” is the old-fashioned term for heavy crying,
whilst “to shed” is a synonym of “to drop”. By 1738 in Jonathan Swift’s Polite
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 Conversation this had evolved to the phrase “Tis a folly to cry for spilt milk” (a folly
is something foolish). Today, we use the phrase to mean that there is no point
looking back worrying about a mistake or some small bad situation from the past –
it is better to “keep calm and carry on!”

4) WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAY.

“Where there’s a will there’s a way” is a saying celebrating human will power. This
proverb means that if we are determined to do something, we will get it done. This
will be the case even if it is challenging, difficult, or seemingly impossible. All of us
wish to achieve many things in life. But usually many of us do not succeed in
achieving anything. And often we tend to curse our fate or misfortune. But the fact
is that we have only ourselves to blame for our failures. It is not enough that we
wish to achieve something. We should have the proper willpower to carry out our
plans. Without determination we will not be putting in enough strength to make our
plans a success. Apart from that even when the scope of our plan looks rather dull,
we will look out for fresh opening for its success. On the other hand, a good plan
with enough scope will not succeed if there is lack of will. So what matters is that
we have the proper drive or determination to carry on with our plans in the face of
obstacles. A person who lacks determination will get down-hearted and deter from
his plans if he faces some difficulty. But a man with enough will-power or
determination goes on and on till he succeeds. It provides fresh openings. Will-
power is the key to the greatest of achievements. The more we are determined to
win… The more we are on the road to success.

5) NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION.

“Necessity is the mother of invention” means that, each of our necessities, whether
big or small, push us to make an effort and work hard to fulfil them. All the
discoveries and inventions by the humans were made as he felt the necessity to use
them. Man’s necessity and desire to make earth a better place is the driving force
behind all the inventions.
Here is a look at how it works:
i) Necessity forces people to get into action.
ii) People try to achieve something wholeheartedly only when it is truly necessary
for them.
iii) Necessity *instills (*gradually established in a person’s mind) passion for
achieving one’s goals. Any work that is done passionately is bound to have
positive outcome.

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 The proverb holds true in the real world. Right from the age of the early man until
today we can see several examples that prove this proverb right.
It is true that necessity compels the man to use his power and accomplish the tasks
he might have felt impossible at some point in time. This also shows how the human
beings are capable of achieving just about anything if they work hard and are
determined to attain it. All they require is a push.

6) THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE GREASE.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease is an American proverb used to convey the idea
that the most noticeable (or loudest) problems are the ones most likely to get
attention. It means that if you don't complain about something you aren't happy with
and that you actually need, no one is going to do anything to help you solve your
problem, so you have to keep on *bugging people (*annoy) until the listen to you
and do what needs to be done.

7) THERE ARE NO CAKES WITHOUT WORK.

The proverb means that we cannot achieve success in life without effort and
sacrifice. Success can be won only at the cost of hard work. In other words, nothing
can be achieved by sitting still. It is very essential to have an ambition in our lives.
But just having an ambition is not enough. A person should also work hard to
achieve his ambition. Only by shedding sweat, can one attain success in life. The
lives of great men reveal that no one can achieve greatness overnight without
necessary effort. There is no doubt that if a person makes vigorous and adequate
efforts, he is sure to achieve his aim in life sooner or later. Those who neglect hard
work and effort earn nothing. The great men of the world were ready to do hard
work and were prepared to undergo suffering. They are held in high esteem today. A
student can never become scholar unless he works hard, denies himself ease and
pleasure, and devotes himself to books. No idler has ever achieved fame as a
scholar. In business, success certainly depends very largely on hard work –on taking
pains. The men who have made fortunes have all been hard workers. This is true of
character-building also. A fine, noble character is as a rule the result of effort and
struggle. To conclude, if we try our best in any field, we will surely succeed.

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 Thinking about soft skills.
Q.1. What qualities should one posses in order to solve problems?
Ans. Life is full of problems and challenges. Most people become proficient at
working through small issues or at least skirting them. But those who are
exceptionally good at solving problems have a distinct advantage on the path to
success. Good problem solvers are good thinkers. They have less drama and
problems to begin with and don’t get overly emotional when faced with a problem.
They usually see problems as challenges and life experiences and try to stand above
them, objectively.

Some of the general characteristics of good problem solvers are:

1. They don’t need to be right all the time: They focus on finding the right solution
rather than wanting to prove they are right at all costs.

2. They go beyond their own conditioning: They go beyond a fixated mind set and
open up to new ways of thinking and can explore options.

3. They look for opportunity within the problem: They see problems as challenges
and try to learn from them.

4. They know the difference between complex and simple thinking: They know
when to do a systematic and complex thinking and when to go through short cuts
and find an easy solution.

5. They have clear definition of what the problem is: They can specifically identity
the problem.

6. They use the power of words to connect with people: They are socially well
developed and find ways to connect with people and try to find happy-middle
solutions.

7. They don’t create problems for others: They understand that to have their problem
solved they can’t create problems for others. Good problems solvers who create fair
solutions make a conscious effort not to harm others for a self-interest intention.

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 They know such acts will have long term consequences even if the problem is
temporarily solved.

Q.2. What are some of the steps involved in problem solving?

Ans : Problem Solving Strategies are as under ;

1) IDEAL

I Identify the problem

D Define and represent the problem

E Explore possible strategies or solutions

A Act on a selected strategy or solution

L Look back and evaluate

2) Trial and error: A strategy that involve attempting different solutions and eliminating
those that do not work. • Algorithms: A strategy that involves following a specific rule,
procedure or method that inevitably will produce a correct solution.

3) Heuristics: A general rule of thumb. 1. Break the problem into smaller problems: In the
homework assignment to identify schedules of reinforcements and
reinforcements/punishments, it is easier to break it into two smaller problems.

4) Insight: A sudden realization or intuition on how to solve a problem. Different

representations can lead to different insights.

Algorithmic strategies are traditional step-by-step guides to solving problems. They are
great for solving math problems (in algebra: multiply and divide, then add or subtract) or
for helping us remember the correct order of things (a mnemonic such as “Spring Forward,
Fall Back” to remember which way the clock changes for daylight saving time, or “Righty
Tighty, Lefty Loosey” to remember what direction to turn bolts and screws). Algorithms
are best when there is a single path to the correct solution.

Q.3 What are the characteristics of an effective solution?

Ans : Effective problem solving usually involves working through a number of steps or
stages, such as those outlined below;

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1) Structuring the Problem:

This stage involves: a period of observation, careful inspection, fact-finding and

developing a clear picture of the problem.

Following on from problem identification, structuring the problem is all about gaining
more information about the problem and increasing understanding. This phase is all about
fact finding and analysis, building a more comprehensive picture of both the goal(s) and
the barrier(s). This stage may not be necessary for very simple problems but is essential for
problems of a more complex nature.

2) Looking for Possible Solutions:

During this stage you will generate a range of possible courses of action, but with little
attempt to evaluate them at this stage.

From the information gathered in the first two phases of the problem solving framework it
is now time to start thinking about possible solutions to the identified problem. In a group
situation this stage is often carried out as a brain-storming session, letting each person in
the group express their views on possible solutions (or part solutions). In organisations
different people will have different expertise in different areas and it is useful, therefore, to
hear the views of each concerned party.

3) Making a Decision:

This stage involves careful analysis of the different possible courses of action and then
selecting the best solution for implementation.

This is perhaps the most complex part of the problem solving process. Following on from
the previous step it is now time to look at each potential solution and carefully analyse it.
Some solutions may not be possible, due to other problems, like time constraints or
budgets. It is important at this stage to also consider what might happen if nothing was
done to solve the problem - sometimes trying to solve a problem that leads to many more
problems requires some very creative thinking and innovative ideas.

Finally, make a decision on which course of action to take - decision making is an

important skill in itself and we recommend that you see our pages on decision making.

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 4) Implementation:

This stage involves accepting and carrying out the chosen course of action.

Implementation means acting on the chosen solution. During implementation more

problems may arise especially if identification or structuring of the original problem was
not carried out fully.

5) Monitoring/Seeking Feedback:

The last stage is about reviewing the outcomes of problem solving over a period of time,
including seeking feedback as to the success of the outcomes of the chosen solution.

The final stage of problem solving is concerned with checking that the process was
successful. This can be achieved by monitoring and gaining feedback from people affected
by any changes that occurred. It is good practice to keep a record of outcomes and any
additional problems that occurred.

Grammar
PREPOSITIONS

What is a preposition?

We commonly use prepositions to show a relationship in space or time or a logical

relationship between two or more people, places or things. Prepositions are most
commonly followed by a noun phrase or pronoun.

Types of Prepositions
Prepositions indicate direction, time, location, and spatial relationships, as well as other
abstract types of relationships.

Direction: Look to the left and you’ll see our destination.

Time: We’ve been working since this morning.

Location: We saw a movie at the theater.

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Space: The dog hid under the table.

The last time I saw him he was walking down the road.
I’ll meet you in the cafe opposite the cinema.
It was difficult to sleep during the flight.
It was the worst storm since the 1980s.
Give that to me.
There are over 100 prepositions in English. The most common single-word prepositions are:

about beside near to

above between of towards

across beyond off under

after by on underneath

against despite onto unlike

along down opposite until

among during out up

around except outside upon

as for over via

at from past with

before in round within

behind inside since without

below into than

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beneath like through

Although most prepositions are single words, some pairs and groups of words operate like single
prepositions:

They were unable to attend because of the bad weather in Ireland.

Jack’ll be playing in the team in place of me.

In addition to getting a large fine, both brothers were put in prison for three months.

I always get nervous when I have to speak in front of an audience.

We estimate that there’ll be up to 10,000 people at the concert.

The most common prepositions that consist of groups of words are:

ahead of except for instead of owing to

apart from in addition to near to such as

as for in front of on account of thanks to

as well as in place of on top of up to

because of in spite of out of

due to inside of outside of

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 Phrasal Verbs
What are Phrasal Verbs?

A phrasal verb is a combination of words (a verb + a preposition or verb +adverb) that

when used together, usually take on a different meaning to that of the original verb.

Phrasal Verb Examples

1. break down, check in, tear up
When we use phrasal verbs, we use them like normal verbs in a sentence, regardless if it’s
a regular or irregular verb.

1. Ella tore up the letter after she read it.

2. Their car broke down two miles out of town.
3. Did the manager deal with that customer’s complaint.

More phrasal verb examples:

1. Be sure to put on a life jacket before getting into the boat.

2. We left out the trash for pickup.
3. It’s time to get on the plane.
4. What will she think up next?
5. I’m having some trouble working out the solution to this equation.
6. We’re going to have to put off our vacation until next year.
7. Stand up when speaking in class, please.
8. We’ll have to wake up early if we want breakfast.
9. Take off your shoes before you walk on the carpet.
10.My dog likes to break out of his kennel to chase squirrels.

Phrasal Verb Exercises

Choose the correct phrasal verb from the parenthesis at the end of the sentence.

1. Someone broke into my car last night and stole the stereo. (broke down/broke into)

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2. Will you be able to get by this month with the little you have?(get off / get by)

1. His father always taught him not to _____ those people with less. (look up to / look
down on)
2. Stop complaining and _____ your work! (get on with / get over)
3. The boss wants you to _____ your figures for this month to him. (hand out / hand in)
4. We’re going to have to _____ our trip to Spain until September. (put up/ put off)
5. I _____ Amir today at the supermarket. It was great to see him. (ran out of / ran into)
6. I’m so tired of Sophie _____ her engagement ring all the time. (showing off, showing
up)
7. The police would not _____ to the kidnapper’s demands. (give up/ give in)
8. I thought I would _____ for a cup of coffee. Is that okay? (drop off/ drop in)
9. Have you ever _____ such an unusual piece of art? (come forward/come across)
10.It’s important to _____ on time. (show up / show off)
11. _____ your feet when walking; you don’t want to trip! (uplift / lift up)
12. The tree was _____ by the wind. (blown up / blown over)
13. He _____ his hat to show me his new haircut. (took off / took up)
14. I just can’t seem to _____ this book. (get off / get into )

Answers:

1. look down on
2. get on with
3. hand in
4. put off
5. ran into
6. showing off
7. give in
8. drop in
9. come across
10. show up
11. lift up
12. blown over
13. took off
14. get into

19 CSS| 6. Problem Solving Skills| Prof. Vastav Shastri| SDJ International College, Vesu, Surat.