All flashcards
Flashcard 1: Identify the problem (not the tool): 'I cannot reach the top shelf without help.'
Answer: Reaching the top shelf is difficult without help. This states the difficulty, not the solution.
Flashcard 2: What is a simple problem in science and engineering, in one sentence?
Answer: A need or difficulty that a new or improved object or tool can fix. Problems create opportunities for invention and improvement.
Flashcard 3: Which option is a problem statement (not a solution): 'Backpacks are too heavy' or 'Use a rolling backpack'?
Answer: Backpacks are too heavy. Problems describe what's wrong; solutions describe fixes.
Flashcard 4: What does it mean to improve an object or tool?
Answer: Make it work better for the same job. Improvement means enhancing how well something works.
Flashcard 5: Identify the problem (not the tool): 'My pencil keeps breaking when I sharpen it.'
Answer: The pencil breaks during sharpening. This identifies what goes wrong during use.
Flashcard 6: Identify the problem (not the tool): 'My lunch gets warm before lunchtime.'
Answer: Lunch does not stay cold until lunchtime. This describes the undesired outcome.
Flashcard 7: What word means an object made to help people do a task more easily?
Answer: Tool. Tools are designed objects that make tasks easier.
Flashcard 8: Identify the problem (not the tool): 'It is hard to carry many books at once.'
Answer: Carrying many books at once is difficult. This states the challenge without suggesting a fix.
Flashcard 9: What two parts must a well-defined simple problem include?
Answer: Who has the problem and what needs to be improved or fixed. These parts make the problem specific and solvable.
Flashcard 10: Which option is a criterion: 'Should be easy to carry' or 'Must cost under 5 dollars'?
Answer: Should be easy to carry. This is a desired quality, not a strict requirement.
Flashcard 11: What is the best way to keep a problem simple for first grade?
Answer: Focus on one need that can be solved with one object or tool. Simple problems have one clear need and one solution type.
Flashcard 12: Which option is a constraint: 'Must be safe for kids' or 'Should be colorful'?
Answer: Must be safe for kids. Safety is a requirement (must), not a preference.
Flashcard 13: Which sentence is written as a problem, not a solution: 'The room is too dark' or 'Buy a brighter lamp'?
Answer: The room is too dark. Problems state what's wrong; solutions state what to do.
Flashcard 14: Which sentence is a problem statement: 'Water spills when I pour' or 'Use a funnel'?
Answer: Water spills when I pour. Problems describe difficulties; solutions offer remedies.
Flashcard 15: What is a constraint in a simple design problem?
Answer: A limit the solution must follow, such as size, cost, or safety. Constraints are rules that solutions must obey.
Flashcard 16: What is a criterion in a simple design problem?
Answer: A goal the solution should meet, such as stronger or easier to use. Criteria are desired features of good solutions.
Flashcard 17: Which question checks that a problem is about a need and not a preference?
Answer: Does it stop someone from doing a task well or safely. Real problems prevent necessary tasks, not just preferences.
Flashcard 18: Identify the user in this problem: 'My grandma cannot open tight jar lids.'
Answer: Grandma. The user is the person experiencing the difficulty.
Flashcard 19: Identify what needs improvement: 'The zipper on my coat gets stuck often.'
Answer: The coat zipper needs to work smoothly without getting stuck. The need describes what must function better.
Flashcard 20: Which statement best names a problem that a new tool could solve: "Paper tears easily" or "Tape the paper"?
Answer: Paper tears easily. Problems identify issues; solutions suggest actions to take.
Flashcard 21: What is the meaning of improve in "new or improved object or tool"?
Answer: Make something work better than before. Improving means making existing things function more effectively.
Flashcard 22: Which statement is a clear problem statement: "I will invent a bottle" or "My bottle spills in my bag"?
Answer: My bottle spills in my bag. Problem statements describe issues, not intended inventions.
Flashcard 23: Which option is a need (problem) and not a solution: "Lunchboxes leak" or "Use a stronger lid"?
Answer: Lunchboxes leak. Problems describe what's wrong; solutions describe how to fix it.
Flashcard 24: Identify the cause part in this sentence: "My backpack is hard to carry because it is heavy."
Answer: Because it is heavy. The cause explains why the problem exists.
Flashcard 25: Identify the problem part in this sentence: "My backpack is hard to carry because it is heavy."
Answer: The backpack is hard to carry. The problem describes what's wrong or difficult.
Flashcard 26: Which option is a solution and not a problem: "Pencils break" or "Add a pencil grip"?
Answer: Add a pencil grip. Solutions offer fixes, while problems identify what needs fixing.
Flashcard 27: Which statement includes an observation: 'The door is annoying' or 'The door is hard to open'?
Answer: The door is hard to open. Observations describe measurable facts, not opinions.
Flashcard 28: Which statement is most specific: 'The backpack is heavy' or 'The backpack hurts my shoulders when I walk home'?
Answer: The backpack hurts my shoulders when I walk home. Specific details help define problems more clearly.
Flashcard 29: What question helps you define a problem by focusing on where it happens?
Answer: Where does the problem happen. Location helps understand where the problem occurs.
Flashcard 30: Which word best completes this definition: A problem is a that needs a solution.
Answer: need. Problems arise from needs that require solutions.