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LO 1 - Computational Thinking

pattern recognition

What is Pattern Recognition?

When we decompose a complex problem we often find patterns among the smaller problems we create. The patterns are similarities or characteristics that some of the problems share.

Pattern recognition is one of the four cornerstones of Computer Science. It involves finding the similarities or patterns among small, decomposed problems that can help us solve more complex problems more efficiently.

Pattern recognition can be though as a process involving the following steps:

  1. Identifying common elements or features in problems or systems
  2. Identifying and interpreting common differences between processes or problems
  3. Identifying individual elements within problems
  4. Describing patterns that have been identified
  5. Making predictions based on identified patterns

See if you can work out the code using decomposition and pattern recognition in the following examples:

1

pattern recognition

2

pattern recognition

3

pattern recognition

4

pattern recognition

5

pattern recognition

Why do we need to look for patterns?

Finding patterns is extremely important. Patterns make our task simpler. Problems are easier to solve when they share patterns, because we can use the same problem-solving solution wherever the pattern exists.

The more patterns we can find, the easier and quicker our overall task of problem solving will be.

Recognising patterns

To find patterns in problems we look for things that are the same (or very similar) in each problem. It may turn out that no common characteristics exist among problems, but we should still look. Patterns exist among different problems and within individual problems. We need to look for both.

Minesweeper

  • Learning Objectives

  • I can identify and describe problems and processes.
  • I can break down problems and processes into distinct steps.
  • I can describe problems and processes as a set of structured steps.
  • I can communicate the key features of problems and processes to others.

Resources