Educational Psychology / Unit 6 EDP 0509 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Algorithms and Heuristics
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The idea
An algorithm is a step-by-step procedure that guarantees a solution to a well-structured problem; a heuristic is a rule of thumb that often works but guarantees nothing.
In practice
Long division is an algorithm; "start with the easiest part" is a heuristic.
Where people slip
Heuristics suit ill-structured problems where no algorithm exists, at the cost of occasional wrong turns.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
Unlocks
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