Good notes will help you organise and process data and information

Computational thinking is a method that allows us to take a complex problem, and develop possible solutions, it has the four following elements:

1. We start by breaking down the problem down into smaller, more manageable parts this is called decomposition.
2. We then look for similarities among these parts this is called patter recognition.
3. We then focus on the important information only, ignoring irrelevant detail this is called abstraction.
4. Finally we develop a step-by-step solution to the problem, or the rules to follow to solve the problem this is called an algorithm.

These simple steps or rules are used to program a computer to help solve the complex problem in the best way.

Decomposition is one of the four cornerstones of Computational thinking. It involves breaking down a complex problem or system into smaller parts that are more manageable and easier to understand. The smaller parts can then be examined and solved, or designed individually, as they are simpler to work with.

Breaking bigger problems down into smaller ones that are easier to solve is called the structured approach in computer science. Instead of writing lots of lines of code in one go, we break the problem down and write subroutines or functions to solve each part

Decomposition in practice

We do many tasks on a daily basis without even thinking about - or decomposing - them, such as brushing our teeth.

Example 1: Brushing our teeth

To decompose the problem of how to brush our teeth, what would we need to consider?

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To summarise - Decompostion can be though as a process involving the following steps:

1. Identifying and describing problems and processes
2. Breaking down problems and processes into distinct steps
3. Describing problems and processes as a set of structured steps
4. Communicating the key features of problems and processes to others

ERATOSTHENES

The Ancient Greeks loved algorithms, and devised lots of useful ones. One of the most famous is the Sieve of Eratosthenes. It is a way to find prime numbers, special numbers that are also known as the atoms of numbers. Prime numbers now form the basis of our most powerful encryption systems upon which digital money is based. Our electronic banking systems (and lots more) would collapse without prime numbers.

'The sieve of Eratosthenes’

A simple algorithm for finding the proime numbers is based on that fact that prime numbers are the ones not in any times table. It involves following these steps.

1. Colour in all the numbers in the 2 times table in turn, apart from 2
2. Colour in all the numbers in the 3 times table in turn, apart from 3
3. Colour in all the numbers in the 4 times table in turn, apart from 4
4. Colour in all the numbers in the 5 times table in turn, apart from 5
5. Colour in all the numbers in the 6 times table in turn, apart from 6
6. … and so on …

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