Tag: problem solving

How Solving a Rubik’s Cube Teaches You to Think Like a Programmer: Logic, Patterns, and Persistence

Discover how solving a Rubik’s Cube trains your brain to think like a programmer. This colorful puzzle teaches spatial logic, pattern recognition, and persistence—the same skills used in coding and problem-solving. From understanding systems and algorithms to developing mental resilience and elegant solutions, the cube offers a hands-on way to build computational thinking. Dive into how twisting plastic squares can sharpen your coding mindset and inspire creative problem solving.

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How the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man Teaches Us to Embrace Simple Solutions and Creative Problem-Solving

Discover how the iconic Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters teaches a powerful lesson in creative problem-solving. When advanced special effects fell short, the filmmakers embraced simplicity—a person in a costume and clever miniature sets—to create a memorable monster on a tight budget and timeline. This story reveals why, in coding and creativity alike, the simplest solution is often the smartest one. Learn how pragmatic creativity, quick pivots, and focusing on what really matters can help you solve challenges without overcomplicating your projects. Whether you’re debugging code or tackling any creative task, sometimes “just make it work” is the best approach.

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How NASA’s Space Tech Transforms Everyday Life: From Memory Foam to Smartphone Cameras

Discover how NASA’s space exploration innovations have transformed everyday life, from memory foam mattresses and water purification to smartphone cameras and thermal insulation. Explore the creative problem-solving behind technologies originally designed for astronauts that now improve comfort, health, and safety on Earth. Learn how curiosity-driven research and extreme challenges in space fuel breakthrough inventions that ripple far beyond the stars.

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Everyday Genius: How Computational Thinking Powers Your Daily Life and Problem Solving

Discover how computational thinking shapes your everyday problem solving—from baking cookies and planning your route to organising your wardrobe and managing time. Learn the four superpowers of decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithm design that you’re already using without realizing. This playful guide reveals how thinking like a coder can simplify complex challenges and boost your confidence in tackling anything life throws your way.

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How Magicians and Coders Use Decomposition to Make the Impossible Possible

Discover how magicians and coders turn the impossible into reality by breaking big challenges into manageable pieces. From making a tiger vanish on stage to building a complex app, the secret lies in decomposition—the art of solving smaller problems step by step. Learn how this mindset, combined with practice and creativity, helps create amazing illusions and powerful technology. Whether planning a project or tackling everyday tasks, unlocking your own decomposition superpowers can make the seemingly impossible, possible.

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When Steve Martin Discovered That Logic Could Be Hilarious: What Comedy Teaches Us About Thinking Like a Coder

Often, you don’t know when you’re going to find inspiration for a topic, particularly when it comes to making a topic more approachable to inexperienced readers. Such was the case in introducing the basics of logic (a common computational, mathematical and literative concept) in the book. But find it I did, through one of my favourite comedians – Steve Martin.

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