George Pólya's "How to Solve It" argues that the mathematical method of demonstrating a proof or finding an unknown can be applied to any "reasoned" problem. The book provides instructions on thinking straight, stripping away irrelevancies, and getting to the heart of a problem, applicable across diverse fields. It aims to harness curiosity, engage inventive faculties, and foster the triumph of discovery in problem-solving.
The book includes a heuristic dictionary with dozens of entries designed to make problems more manageable, such as using analogy and induction, or the heuristic method of starting with a goal and working backward. Readers learn to tackle problems from building a bridge to winning a game of anagrams by applying these principles.
Key concepts
- Heuristic dictionary — A collection of entries offering methods to make problems more manageable.
- Analogy — A problem-solving technique involving drawing parallels.
- Induction — A problem-solving technique based on generalizing from specific instances.
- Heuristic method of starting with a goal and working backward — A strategy where one identifies the desired outcome and retraces steps to a known starting point.
- Stripping away irrelevancies — A technique for identifying and discarding unessential information to focus on the core of a problem.