Problem Solving Skills Worksheet: Five Steps

Critical thinking lesson 19: Problem-solving steps · Set 314 · 40 questions

Thinking tip (Five calm steps): The steps in order: understand the problem → think of ideas → choose the best idea → try it out → check if it worked. Helps: staying calm, breaking it into parts, asking for help, drawing a diagram, trying again. Gets in the way: panicking, giving up at once, blaming others, repeating the same try, guessing wildly.

1. 1.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) making a list (b) staying calm (c) trying again (d) giving up at once
2. 2.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) breaking it into parts (b) giving up at once (c) guessing wildly (d) repeating the same try
3. 3.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: list possible fixes or check if it worked? (a) list possible fixes (b) check if it worked
4. 4.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) making a list (b) repeating the same try (c) trying again (d) drawing a diagram
5. 5.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: see if it helped or try it out? (a) see if it helped (b) try it out
6. 6.True or false: “giving up at once” gets in the way of solving. (a) True (b) False
7. 7.True or false: “panicking” helps you solve a problem. (a) False (b) True
8. 8.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: pick one plan? (a) step 1 (b) step 3 (c) step 2 (d) step 5
9. 9.True or false: “drawing a diagram” helps you solve a problem. (a) True (b) False
10. 10.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) breaking it into parts (b) trying again (c) asking for help (d) ignoring the problem
11. 11.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: see if it helped? (a) step 1 (b) step 2 (c) step 5 (d) step 4
12. 12.🔍 Which is the odd one out? (a) making a list (b) ignoring the problem (c) panicking (d) repeating the same try
13. 13.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: staying calm? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
14. 14.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: understand the problem or pick one plan? (a) understand the problem (b) pick one plan
15. 15.True or false: “guessing wildly” helps you solve a problem. (a) True (b) False
16. 16.True or false: “asking for help” helps you solve a problem. (a) False (b) True
17. 17.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: guessing wildly? (a) helps solve it (b) gets in the way
18. 18.🚲 Your cycle chain keeps slipping off. What is a good first step? (a) look at what is wrong (b) kick the cycle (c) stop cycling (d) buy a new cycle
19. 19.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: list possible fixes? (a) step 2 (b) step 1 (c) step 5 (d) step 3
20. 20.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: choose the best idea? (a) step 2 (b) step 5 (c) step 3 (d) step 1
21. 21.💡 Why think of more than one idea? (a) no reason (b) to confuse people (c) to waste time (d) to find the best one
22. 22.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: try it out or see if it helped? (a) try it out (b) see if it helped
23. 23.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: understand the problem or choose the best idea? (a) understand the problem (b) choose the best idea
24. 24.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: try it out or understand the problem? (a) try it out (b) understand the problem
25. 25.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: say what is wrong or list possible fixes? (a) say what is wrong (b) list possible fixes
26. 26.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: trying again? (a) gets in the way (b) helps solve it
27. 27.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: asking for help? (a) helps solve it (b) gets in the way
28. 28.🧩 A big problem feels scary. What helps? (a) split it into parts (b) ignore it (c) wait for luck (d) cry about it
29. 29.True or false: “breaking it into parts” helps you solve a problem. (a) False (b) True
30. 30.Which of these helps you solve a problem? (a) breaking it into parts (b) blaming others (c) panicking (d) guessing wildly
31. 31.🤝 Who can help you solve a hard problem? (a) a rumour (b) a teacher or parent (c) nobody ever (d) only a stranger
32. 32.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) drawing a diagram (b) ignoring the problem (c) asking for help (d) trying again
33. 33.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: try it out? (a) step 3 (b) step 4 (c) step 5 (d) step 1
34. 34.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: giving up at once? (a) helps solve it (b) gets in the way
35. 35.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: check if it worked or say what is wrong? (a) check if it worked (b) say what is wrong
36. 36.🛠️ When solving a problem, which comes first: choose the best idea or think of ideas? (a) choose the best idea (b) think of ideas
37. 37.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: think of ideas? (a) step 4 (b) step 1 (c) step 3 (d) step 2
38. 38.🛠️ Does this help solve a problem, or get in the way: blaming others? (a) helps solve it (b) gets in the way
39. 39.🛠️ Which problem-solving step is this: check if it worked? (a) step 1 (b) step 3 (c) step 5 (d) step 4
40. 40.Which of these gets in the way of solving? (a) blaming others (b) asking for help (c) trying again (d) staying calm

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