How to Become a Monster Problem Solver: The Ultimate Guide 👹

When it comes to problem-solving, there are two kinds of people: those who face a bug and scream, “Why me ?” 🙍🏻‍♂️ and those who calmly whisper, “Let’s dance.” 💃🕺 If you want to be the second kind, the monster of problem-solving, this guide is for you.

But first, let’s meet a relatable friend, John, who’s here to teach us what not to do. Poor John…

1. How to Fail Miserably at Solving Problems 😔

Picture this: John wants to master problem-solving, but every time he encounters one, he somehow manages to make things worse. Here’s how:

1️⃣ Jumping at the problem like it’s a piñata

No plan, no thought, just pure adrenaline. Naturally, he ends up swinging wildly and hitting everything but the target.

2️⃣ Coding like a tornado in a spaghetti factory

John’s solutions are so unstructured that even he can’t read his own code a day later. Chaos reigns supreme.

3️⃣ Getting stressed like a microwave about to explode

When things don’t work (which is often), John melts down faster than butter on hot toast. Stress becomes his constant companion.

4️⃣ Refusing to Google because he’s “too good for that”

John thinks looking things up is cheating. Meanwhile, the rest of us are over here with a browser full of Stack Overflow tabs living our best lives.

Poor John. 😔 Let’s help him out.

2. How to Fix These Problems 💡

If you’ve been John (we all have at some point), don’t worry. There’s a cure:

1️⃣ Slow down, Speed Racer!

Stop diving into problems like you’re Indiana Jones running from a boulder. Take a breath. Look at the problem. Think. Then move.

2️⃣ Embrace logic like it’s your new BFF

Problem-solving is just applied logic. Treat it like a puzzle, not an emotional battlefield. Calm brains make fewer bugs.

3️⃣ Use the 4-Step Framework

This is your secret weapon to go from “help, I’m stuck!” to “I am the alpha coder!”

3. The 4-Step Framework 🧗🏻‍♂️

Here’s how to channel your inner problem-solving monster:

🧠 Step 1: Understand the Problem

If you don’t know what you’re solving, how do you expect to solve it ? Before you do anything, ask:

• What’s the input ? What’s the output ?
• What are the edge cases ?
• Am I overthinking this ? (Hint: probably.)

🔪 Step 2: Divide and Conquer

Big problems are scary. But when you break them into smaller parts, they’re like tiny, harmless gremlins you can tackle one at a time.

• Example: Need to calculate the factorial of a number ? Break it into:
  1. Validate the input.
  2. Write the factorial logic.
  3. Return the result. Done.

🔍 Step 3: Research Like a Pro

Googling isn’t cheating, it’s surviving. Stack Overflow isn’t a shortcut, it’s a lifeline. Use every resource available to you, because even the pros do.

✏️ Step 4: Write Pseudo-Code

Pseudo-code is like drawing a map before entering the jungle. It’s simple, clear, and doesn’t require you to fight with syntax while figuring out the logic.

4.Example: Problem — Reverse a String 🔄

Let’s apply these steps to the problem of reversing a string.

Problem: Write a function to reverse a string.

Step 1: Understand the Problem

• Input: A string, e.g., "hello".
• Output: The reversed string, e.g., "olleh".
• Edge cases:
  • If the string is empty, return an empty string.
  • If the string contains spaces, numbers, or special characters, reverse them as well.

Step 2: Divide and Conquer

Break the problem into smaller steps:

1. Validate the input: Ensure it’s a string.
2. Loop through the string in reverse and collect the characters.
3. Return the reversed string.

Step 3: Research Like a Pro

Not sure how to reverse a string ? A quick Google search for “JavaScript reverse string” might lead you to methods like .split(), .reverse(), and .join().

Step 4: Write Pseudo-Code

Pseudo-Code:

function reverseString(string):  
    if string is not valid:  
        return "Invalid input"  

    initialize reversed = ""  

    for each character in string from the last to the first:  
        append the character to reversed  

    return reversed  

Actual Code:

function reverseString(string) {  
    if (typeof string !== "string") {  
        return "Invalid input";  
    }  

    let reversed = "";  
    for (let i = string.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {  
        reversed += string[i];  
    }  
    return reversed;  
}  

console.log(reverseString("hello")); // Output: "olleh"  

Simple, right ? Now you can focus on solving instead of fighting your keyboard.

5. Conclusion: Unleash the Monster 👹

Becoming a monster problem solver isn’t magic, it’s science. Fix your bad habits, stay calm, and let logic lead the way. The 4-step framework is your new best friend, and with it, no problem will stand a chance.

Remember, every solved problem brings you one step closer to becoming the beast everyone admires. Now go forth and conquer, one bug at a time. Just don’t forget to hydrate. 🧩🔥

Happy problem solving 💃🕺

Thanks for reading!

Made with 💙 by Hadil Ben Abdallah.

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Comments

[EliasAnJr]

This is amazing i like so much.

[Hadil Ben Abdallah]

Thank you so much! 😊 I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it! 💙