{"id":449,"date":"2023-03-02T20:16:57","date_gmt":"2023-03-02T20:16:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/chapter\/6-1-apply-it\/"},"modified":"2025-11-14T15:43:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T15:43:08","slug":"6-1-apply-it","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/chapter\/6-1-apply-it\/","title":{"raw":"Thinking and Problem Solving: Apply It","rendered":"Thinking and Problem Solving: Apply It"},"content":{"raw":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Explain how we use concepts, prototypes, and schema to organize information<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Understand the difference between natural and artificial concepts<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Describe common problem-solving strategies<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<h3>Everyday Connections: Solving Puzzles<\/h3>\r\n<section data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<div data-type=\"note\" data-label=\"Everyday Connection\">\r\n<p>Problem-solving abilities can improve with practice. Many people challenge themselves every day with puzzles and other mental exercises to sharpen their problem-solving skills.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\">\r\n<h3>Sudoku<\/h3>\r\n\r\nTypically, a Sudoku puzzle is a 9\u00d79 grid. The simple Sudoku below (Figure 1) is a 4\u00d74 grid. To solve the puzzle, fill in the empty boxes with a single digit: 1, 2, 3, or 4. Here are the rules: The numbers must total 10 in each bolded box, each row, and each column; however, each digit can only appear once in a bolded box, row, and column.<br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nTime yourself as you solve this puzzle and see how you do!\r\n\r\n<figure>\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"388\"]<img class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224829\/CNX_Psych_07_03_Sudoko.jpg\" alt=\"A four column by four row Sudoku puzzle is shown. The top left cell contains the number 3. The top right cell contains the number 2. The bottom right cell contains the number 1. The bottom left cell contains the number 4. The cell at the intersection of the second row and the second column contains the number 4. The cell to the right of that contains the number 1. The cell below the cell containing the number 1 contains the number 2. The cell to the left of the cell containing the number 2 contains the number 3.\" width=\"388\" height=\"388\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/> <strong>Figure 1<\/strong>. How long did it take you to solve this sudoku puzzle? (You can see the answer at the end of this section.)[\/caption]\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\" aria-label=\"Try It\">\r\n<h3>Connect the Dots<\/h3>\r\n<p>Here is another popular type of puzzle that challenges your spatial reasoning skills. Connect all nine dots with four connecting straight lines without lifting your pencil from the paper:<\/p>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"379\"]<img class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224830\/CNX_Psych_07_03_DotsAndLines.jpg\" alt=\"A square shaped outline contains three rows and three columns of dots with equal space between them.\" width=\"379\" height=\"381\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/> <strong>Figure 2<\/strong>. Did you figure it out? (The answer is at the end of this section.) Once you understand how to crack this puzzle, it will be hard to forget.[\/caption]\r\n<\/section>\r\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\">\r\n<h3>Puzzling Scales<\/h3>\r\n\r\nTake a look at the \u201cPuzzling Scales\u201d logic puzzle below (Figure 3). Sam Loyd, a well-known puzzle master, created and refined countless puzzles throughout his lifetime (Cyclopedia of Puzzles, n.d.).\r\n\r\n<figure>\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"461\"]<img class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224832\/CNX_Psych_07_03_SamLoyd.jpg\" alt=\"A puzzle involving a scale is shown. At the top of the figure it reads: \u201cSam Loyds Puzzling Scales.\u201d The first row of the puzzle shows a balanced scale with 3 blocks and a top on the left and 12 marbles on the right. Below this row it reads: \u201cSince the scales now balance.\u201d The next row of the puzzle shows a balanced scale with just the top on the left, and 1 block and 8 marbles on the right. Below this row it reads: \u201cAnd balance when arranged this way.\u201d The third row shows an unbalanced scale with the top on the left side, which is much lower than the right side. The right side is empty. Below this row it reads: \u201cThen how many marbles will it require to balance with that top?\u201d\" width=\"461\" height=\"651\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/> <strong>Figure 3<\/strong>. The puzzle reads, \"Since the scales now balance...and balance when arranged this way, then how many marbles will it require to balance with that top?[\/caption]\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<figure><\/figure>\r\n<figure><\/figure>\r\n<figure><\/figure>\r\n<p>[reveal-answer q=\"52796\"]Check your answers here.[\/reveal-answer]<br \/>\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"52796\"]<\/p>\r\n<p>Were you able to determine how many marbles are needed to balance the scales in the Puzzling Scales? You need nine. Were you able to solve the other problems above? Here are the answers:<\/p>\r\n<figure><img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224833\/CNX_Psych_07_06_Solutions.jpg\" alt=\"The first puzzle is a Sudoku grid of 16 squares (4 rows of 4 squares) is shown. Half of the numbers were supplied to start the puzzle and are colored blue, and half have been filled in as the puzzle\u2019s solution and are colored red. The numbers in each row of the grid, left to right, are as follows. Row 1: blue 3, red 1, red 4, blue 2. Row 2: red 2, blue 4, blue 1, red 3. Row 3: red 1, blue 3, blue 2, red 4. Row 4: blue 4, red 2, red 3, blue 1.The second puzzle consists of 9 dots arranged in 3 rows of 3 inside of a square. The solution, four straight lines made without lifting the pencil, is shown in a red line with arrows indicating the direction of movement. In order to solve the puzzle, the lines must extend beyond the borders of the box. The four connecting lines are drawn as follows. Line 1 begins at the top left dot, proceeds through the middle and right dots of the top row, and extends to the right beyond the border of the square. Line 2 extends from the end of line 1, through the right dot of the horizontally centered row, through the middle dot of the bottom row, and beyond the square\u2019s border ending in the space beneath the left dot of the bottom row. Line 3 extends from the end of line 2 upwards through the left dots of the bottom, middle, and top rows. Line 4 extends from the end of line 3 through the middle dot in the middle row and ends at the right dot of the bottom row.\" width=\"482\" height=\"255\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<p>[\/hidden-answer]<\/p>\r\n<section class=\"textbox watchIt\">What problem-solving method could you use to solve Einstein's famous riddle?<br \/>\r\n<iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1rDVz_Fb6HQ\" width=\"800\" height=\"470\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><br \/>\r\nYou can <a href=\"https:\/\/oerfiles.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/Psychology\/Transcriptions\/CanYouSolveEinsteinsRiddleDanVanderVieren.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">view the transcript for \"Can you solve \"Einstein's Riddle\"? - Dan Van der Vieren\" here (opens in new window)<\/a>.<\/section>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>","rendered":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\n<ul>\n<li>Explain how we use concepts, prototypes, and schema to organize information<\/li>\n<li>Understand the difference between natural and artificial concepts<\/li>\n<li>Describe common problem-solving strategies<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<h3>Everyday Connections: Solving Puzzles<\/h3>\n<section data-depth=\"1\">\n<div data-type=\"note\" data-label=\"Everyday Connection\">\n<p>Problem-solving abilities can improve with practice. Many people challenge themselves every day with puzzles and other mental exercises to sharpen their problem-solving skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\">\n<h3>Sudoku<\/h3>\n<p>Typically, a Sudoku puzzle is a 9\u00d79 grid. The simple Sudoku below (Figure 1) is a 4\u00d74 grid. To solve the puzzle, fill in the empty boxes with a single digit: 1, 2, 3, or 4. Here are the rules: The numbers must total 10 in each bolded box, each row, and each column; however, each digit can only appear once in a bolded box, row, and column.<\/p>\n<p>Time yourself as you solve this puzzle and see how you do!<\/p>\n<figure>\n<figure style=\"width: 388px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224829\/CNX_Psych_07_03_Sudoko.jpg\" alt=\"A four column by four row Sudoku puzzle is shown. The top left cell contains the number 3. The top right cell contains the number 2. The bottom right cell contains the number 1. The bottom left cell contains the number 4. The cell at the intersection of the second row and the second column contains the number 4. The cell to the right of that contains the number 1. The cell below the cell containing the number 1 contains the number 2. The cell to the left of the cell containing the number 2 contains the number 3.\" width=\"388\" height=\"388\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 1<\/strong>. How long did it take you to solve this sudoku puzzle? (You can see the answer at the end of this section.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\" aria-label=\"Try It\">\n<h3>Connect the Dots<\/h3>\n<p>Here is another popular type of puzzle that challenges your spatial reasoning skills. Connect all nine dots with four connecting straight lines without lifting your pencil from the paper:<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 379px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224830\/CNX_Psych_07_03_DotsAndLines.jpg\" alt=\"A square shaped outline contains three rows and three columns of dots with equal space between them.\" width=\"379\" height=\"381\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 2<\/strong>. Did you figure it out? (The answer is at the end of this section.) Once you understand how to crack this puzzle, it will be hard to forget.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\">\n<h3>Puzzling Scales<\/h3>\n<p>Take a look at the \u201cPuzzling Scales\u201d logic puzzle below (Figure 3). Sam Loyd, a well-known puzzle master, created and refined countless puzzles throughout his lifetime (Cyclopedia of Puzzles, n.d.).<\/p>\n<figure>\n<figure style=\"width: 461px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224832\/CNX_Psych_07_03_SamLoyd.jpg\" alt=\"A puzzle involving a scale is shown. At the top of the figure it reads: \u201cSam Loyds Puzzling Scales.\u201d The first row of the puzzle shows a balanced scale with 3 blocks and a top on the left and 12 marbles on the right. Below this row it reads: \u201cSince the scales now balance.\u201d The next row of the puzzle shows a balanced scale with just the top on the left, and 1 block and 8 marbles on the right. Below this row it reads: \u201cAnd balance when arranged this way.\u201d The third row shows an unbalanced scale with the top on the left side, which is much lower than the right side. The right side is empty. Below this row it reads: \u201cThen how many marbles will it require to balance with that top?\u201d\" width=\"461\" height=\"651\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 3<\/strong>. The puzzle reads, &#8220;Since the scales now balance&#8230;and balance when arranged this way, then how many marbles will it require to balance with that top?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/section>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<p><div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><button class=\"show-answer show-answer-button collapsed\" data-target=\"q52796\">Check your answers here.<\/button><\/p>\n<div id=\"q52796\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\">\n<p>Were you able to determine how many marbles are needed to balance the scales in the Puzzling Scales? You need nine. Were you able to solve the other problems above? Here are the answers:<\/p>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224833\/CNX_Psych_07_06_Solutions.jpg\" alt=\"The first puzzle is a Sudoku grid of 16 squares (4 rows of 4 squares) is shown. Half of the numbers were supplied to start the puzzle and are colored blue, and half have been filled in as the puzzle\u2019s solution and are colored red. The numbers in each row of the grid, left to right, are as follows. Row 1: blue 3, red 1, red 4, blue 2. Row 2: red 2, blue 4, blue 1, red 3. Row 3: red 1, blue 3, blue 2, red 4. Row 4: blue 4, red 2, red 3, blue 1.The second puzzle consists of 9 dots arranged in 3 rows of 3 inside of a square. The solution, four straight lines made without lifting the pencil, is shown in a red line with arrows indicating the direction of movement. In order to solve the puzzle, the lines must extend beyond the borders of the box. The four connecting lines are drawn as follows. Line 1 begins at the top left dot, proceeds through the middle and right dots of the top row, and extends to the right beyond the border of the square. Line 2 extends from the end of line 1, through the right dot of the horizontally centered row, through the middle dot of the bottom row, and beyond the square\u2019s border ending in the space beneath the left dot of the bottom row. Line 3 extends from the end of line 2 upwards through the left dots of the bottom, middle, and top rows. Line 4 extends from the end of line 3 through the middle dot in the middle row and ends at the right dot of the bottom row.\" width=\"482\" height=\"255\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"textbox watchIt\">What problem-solving method could you use to solve Einstein&#8217;s famous riddle?<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1rDVz_Fb6HQ\" width=\"800\" height=\"470\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><br \/>\nYou can <a href=\"https:\/\/oerfiles.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/Psychology\/Transcriptions\/CanYouSolveEinsteinsRiddleDanVanderVieren.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">view the transcript for &#8220;Can you solve &#8220;Einstein&#8217;s Riddle&#8221;? &#8211; Dan Van der Vieren&#8221; here (opens in new window)<\/a>.<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"menu_order":8,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Solving Problems\",\"author\":\"OpenStax\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/psychology-2e\/pages\/7-3-problem-solving\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"part":441,"module-header":"apply_it","content_attributions":[{"type":"cc","description":"Solving Problems","author":"OpenStax","organization":"","url":"https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/psychology-2e\/pages\/7-3-problem-solving","project":"","license":"cc-by","license_terms":""}],"internal_book_links":[],"video_content":null,"cc_video_embed_content":{"cc_scripts":"","media_targets":[]},"try_it_collection":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/449"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/449\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7204,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/449\/revisions\/7204"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/441"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/449\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=449"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=449"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}