Problem Solving Simulation

Problem Solving Simulation 1

Problem Solving Simulation

Judy Headlee

May 4, 2013

Introduction to Behavioral Science

BEH/225

Problem Solving Simulation 2

How did you interpret the problem?

At first I thought of this problem as being a bit of a mind twister. How was it possible to get three animals across a river when if you leave two alone one will eat the other. I was going to have to figure out the entire angle to this particular problem. I was going to use a convergent thinking method. With this method I knew it was going to have to a single solution.

Working with three animals, one boat, and a river there could only be one solution or that is what I believed. I tried to do what I thought was the correct procedure for getting them across the river safely but I overlooked the fact that one would eat the other. So to interpret the problem correctly I had to rethink the problem. At first I thought it would be easy but I soon realized it was not easy and I had to think about it carefully.

What strategy did you use and how did you evaluate your progress?

The problem was how to get three different animals across a river with a few hitches in the way it had to be completed. The dog and cat could not stay alone. The dog would eat the cat if they were left alone on one side of the river and the same with the cat and mouse. The raft only held one animal at a time.

Trying to figure out how to get three across the water on a raft that only held one at a time was a bit tricky. The strategy I used was a trial and error method. With this method I would try to get the animals across safely without getting one eaten. My progress was slow at first. The first try did not work the cat ate the mouse but the second try I figured out the strategy. I could have used a different approach to solve this particular problem such as the information retrieval but I thought the trial and error approach was better.

Did...