PROBLEM SOLVING METHODOLOGY

The task of expressing the solution of complex problems in terms of simple operations
understood by the computer is called problem solving. The steps involved in problem solving
are: -
1. Problem Definition – A problem can be solved correctly only if it is understood clearly
by the user. It should be clearly defined with specific input/ output explanation.

2. Problem Analysis – The requirements of the problem should be clearly understood.

Explicit requirements about the input/output, accuracy etc are understood at this
stage.

3. Design of the solution – The solution of the problem should include a sequence of well
defined steps that will input the data, manipulate it and produce the required result.
The 2 commonly used design tools are
a) Algorithm – It is a step by step procedure to solve a problem.
b) Flowchart – It is the pictorial representation of the solution for a given problem.

4. Development of Program – We develop the complete solution in the form of a

computer program. It includes -
a) Coding – It is the process of converting an algorithm or flowchart into a program
using any programming language.
b) Debugging(Program/Data Verification) – It is the process of detecting and
correcting errors in a program.
c) Testing(Program/Data Validation) – It is the process of checking if the program
works correctly by giving a set of input values.

5. Documentation and Maintenance –

a) Documentation is the process of including comments or remarks at various stages
in a program to improve clarity and understanding of the program. There are 2
types of documentation –
i. Internal Documentation(Technical Documentation) – It is meant for the
programmer who may update the program code at later stages.

ii. External Documentation – It is the additional textual information about the

application which is useful for user, administrator or developer.
b) Maintenance is the process of updating or providing new versions of a program so
that the program meets the current day requirement of the user.
ALGORITHM
Characteristics/Properties of Algorithm
1. Every step should perform a single task.
2. It should contain a finite number of steps to arrive at the solution.
3. It should lead to a unique solution.
4. There should be no ambiguity.
5. It should be capable of handling unexpected situations which may arise during the
solution of the problem. Eg. division by zero, square root of a –ve number etc.
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FLOWCHART
Flowcharts are constructed by using special symbols where each symbol represents an
activity such as input/output, processing etc. These symbols are joined by arrows. There
are 2 types of flowchart –
a. Program Flowchart – It is the diagrammatic representation of a sequence of
instructions for solving a problem.
b. System Flowchart – It indicates the flow of data throughout the data processing
system as well as into and out of the system.

Advantages of flowchart
1. It provides an excellent means of communication, which is very easy to understand.
2. Easy to convert it into a program.
3. It is independent of any programming language.
4. It is easy to debug.
5. Efficient program maintenance.

Symbols used in Flowchart

1. It is used to represent the beginning or the end of a

flowchart. It is called as Terminal.

2. It is used to represent input or output of data.

3. It is used for processing of data like data assignment,

calculations etc.

4. It is used to represent a condition. It is called as

decision/branching box.

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 5. It is used to represent for loop.

6. It is used to represent a function/subprogram. It is called

as predefined process box.

7. It is used to indicate an entry or an exit to another part of

the flowchart. It is called a connector.

8. It is used to represent flow of control.

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
1. Compiler – It is a system software that checks the entire user written program for
errors and once it is error free, it converts it into equivalent machine language program.
2. Source Program – It is a program written by the user in any programming language.
3. Object Program – It is a machine language program generated by the compiler.
4. Syntax – It is the set of rules to be followed while writing a program.
5. Semantic – It refers to the logic of a program.

Types of Errors
1. Syntax Error – It is the wrong usage of syntax while writing a program. It is
detected during compilation phase.
2. Semantic Error/Logical Error – It is the wrong usage of logic while writing a program.
It is detected during execution phase.
3. Runtime Error – It is detected during the execution of the program.

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