Decomposition

What is decomposition?

• Breaking down a complex problem or system into smaller, more manageable parts

• Adding detail to make a problem more complex

• When you ignore the unnecessary detail in a problem

Why do we decompose a complex problem?

• To make it more difficult to solve

• To change the problem we have

• To make it easier to solve

Which of these is an example of decomposition?

• Watching a mechanic repair a bicycle

• Looking at different bicycles for similarities between them

• Finding out how a bicycle works by looking in detail at the different parts that make up the bicycle

Which of these is an example of decomposition?

• Breaking the problem of organising a cake sale into smaller parts, such as who will bake the cakes and when to hold the cake sale

• Taking the problem of baking a cake and thinking about how we can make it the best cake possible

• Looking at what different kinds of cake can be made

How often do we decompose problems?

• We never decompose them, computers do this for us

• On a daily basis, often without thinking about it

• Occasionally, but we don't really need to

Which of these would NOT be involved in decomposing a problem?

• Thinking about how the problem could be divided into smaller parts

• Working out who could help you solve a part of the problem

• Adding more parts to the problem so it becomes more complex

Which of these is an example of decomposition?

• Guessing who has solved a crime from looking at patterns that have happened before

• Solving the complex problem of a crime by breaking it down into when the crime was committed and were there any witnesses

• Looking at what different crimes could be committed