Solve a Case like Sherlock Holmes
Have you ever read the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes? He could
solve any case with ease by deducing the answer from the clues.
He examined the individual clues of the case and then pieced
them together to find the culprit. He could even figure out how
the perpetrator completed his criminal act. His case solving
skills were based largely around logical reasoning.
Logical reasoning is an important skill in many areas of life
besides criminal cases. Effective logical reasoning plays a key
role in engineering when designing machinery, systems, and
logistical procedures. Logical reasoning is also present in
event planning, finance, and many areas of science. Logic plays
a role in nearly every situation through your different choices.
The manner in which you proceed through each item affects the
entire product.
Hypotheses and conclusions can be deduced and supported through
logic which is an important stepping stone to success. Since
logic is such a valuable skill it is essential to build your
logical muscle. Historically children have been exposed to
formal logic problems at a very young age beginning as early as
elementary school. They commonly learn to solve logic problems
in their mathematics class. There are many scenarios for logic
problems.
Logic problems consist of a set of clues, usually in the form of
statements, which students must take into account when solving
the problem. For example, a basic logic problem could involve
determining the favorite color of five different characters.
Enough clues will be given so that the student can match up each
character with their correct favorite color. The student does
the matching through following the clues and also deducing the
rest of the information based on the clues.
Procedures and tips to solve the logic problem are presented.
Specifically, a teacher will demonstrate how to set up a grid
that contains the character names in one column and the list of
colors along a row on the top of the grid. Students are
instructed to follow the clues to reduce their list of possible
matches. They learn how each choice can affect every piece of
information in their solution. It is a game of logic because you
do this in a systematic manner and you ascertain information
logically or by deduction.
However, it is of great benefit to the student if they attempt
to solve the logic problem through their own methods first. This
trial and error period of practice helps children become
independent thinkers and figure out the problem themselves.
Discovering the way to solve a problem will be cemented in a
child's mind if they attempt to solve it on their own first as
opposed to just being given the problem procedure and answer.
Logic problems can range in complexity. Beginning logic problems
focus on matching up pairs of items based on a few constraints.
Whereas advanced logic problems can center on deducing matches
with several components and constraints. This allows logic
problems to be fun for players of all ages and skill levels.
Logic problems can be applied to an endless number of situations
so you can never quite master every logic problem imaginable.
You can purchase books of fun logic problems at your book store.
They are a nice alternative to crosswords and a great way to
spend a rainy afternoon. You will keep your mind sharp and feel
satisfied when you correctly figure out the puzzle. You can be a
detective, like Sherlock Holmes, from the comfort of your own
home.