Strategies for solving problems

• Draw a picture or diagram.
• Make a table.
• Make a list.
• Look for a pattern.
• Guess and check.
• Say the problem in a different way.
• Look at all possibilities systematically.
• Work backwards.
• Solve a simpler problem with fewer variables.
• Explore the role of each variable in turn by fixing the others.
• Explore any previous similar problems.
• Look for the ‘deep’ features.