Analyzing problems

When analyzing problems, there are some steps that we can keep in mind to help us ensure that we are creating the best possible algorithm:

• Clearly read and understand the problem.
• Identify the main purpose of the solution.
• Identify the constraints of the problem.
• Identify the decision-making flow.
• Establish the possible algorithms that could solve the problem.
• Identify the best possible algorithm tools for the problem.
• Test the algorithm pieces frequently.
• Verify that the algorithm provides the solution for the identified problem.

If we go back to our problem, we went through this process throughout the chapter:

• We had an online store with three items.
• Item cost was dependent on quantity purchased.
• Item price was also dependent on personalization customizations.
• We created flowcharts to help us identify the decision process and how to code it.
• We verified our code through code lines that allowed us...