2.4.2 Pattern Recognition

After you've broken down a big problem, the next step is to look for clues!

Pattern Recognition is the second tool. It means looking for similarities, trends, or repeating patterns in the smaller problems you've identified. Finding patterns can help you solve problems more efficiently because you might realize you've solved a similar problem before, or that parts of the problem can be solved in the same way.

How it works: When you use pattern recognition, you ask:

Have I seen something like this before?
Are there any parts of this problem that are similar to each other?
What stays the same, and what changes?

Example: Let's go back to "Plan a surprise birthday party." As you look at your decomposed tasks, you might notice patterns:

Sending invitations and sending thank-you notes both involve writing messages and sending them to a list of people. (Pattern: sending messages to a group).
Decorating the house and setting up the food table both involve arranging items in a visually appealing way. (Pattern: arranging objects).
If you've planned parties before, you might recognize patterns in what usually goes wrong or what guests enjoy most.

Recognizing these patterns helps you reuse solutions or apply similar thinking to different parts of the problem.

Bibliography:

Computer Science Education Research Group (CSER): https://csermoocs.adelaide.edu.au/about-us
Code.org: https://code.org/