Q.Using the seven mental operations listed in Table 7.1 of the chapter, briefly describe how you would plan a class picnic, from identifying the problem to evaluating the outcome.

Problem solving is described in the chapter as thinking that is directed towards a goal, and it covers far more than dramatic obstacles or crises — it can be any activity, however ordinary, that is carried out to reach a defined goal, from repairing a broken bicycle to preparing a quick snack for a visiting friend. Every problem-solving situation is understood to have an initial state (the problem as it currently stands) and an end state (the goal to be reached), with these two connected by a sequence of mental operations or steps.

The chapter lays out this sequence using the example of organising a school play for Teachers' Day. The first step is to identify the problem. The second step is to represent the problem, breaking it down into its actual components. The third step is to plan the solution by setting sub-goals. The fourth step is to evaluate the possible solutions. The fifth step is to select one solution and carry it out. The sixth step is to evaluate the outcome once the solution has actually been carried out. The seventh and final step is to rethink and redefine the problem and its solution, using the experience for the future.

This same seven-step sequence — identify, represent, plan sub-goals, evaluate solutions, select and execute, evaluate the outcome, rethink and redefine — is presented as a general template that applies across problems that look completely different on the surface, whether the task is academic, logistical, or social, which is why it is worth deliberately walking through these steps rather than jumping straight to a solution.