Work Backwards — Reverse Engineering

What You'll Learn

🧠 Start with the answer you WANT, then figure out the steps to get there. Want to be ready for school by 8am? Work backwards: leave at 7:50, eat at 7:30, get dressed at 7:15, wake up at 7:00. Here's how to do it: 1. Look carefully at the problem. What do you see? 2. Think about what you already know. Does this remind you of something? 3. Try an answer! It's totally okay to be wrong — that's how we learn. 4. Check: did it work? If not, try something else! You're building your thinking muscles. The more you practice, the stronger they get!

Key Concept: Solving by starting at the end

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Think About This

📖 You're reading a story and the character needs to use solving by starting at the end. What advice would you give them?

Thinking Steps

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👀 What Do I See?

Look at the problem about solving by starting at the end. What do you notice?

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🤔 What Do I Know?

What do you already know that could help? Have you seen something like this before?

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💡 What's My Idea?

Think of an answer. Can you think of a second one too?

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⭐ What Did I Learn?

Check your answer. Was it right? What did you figure out? Tell someone!

Key Points

Understand solving by starting at the end

Apply problem solving to daily life

Practice this skill through puzzles

Key Vocabulary

Solution

An answer to a problem

Step

One part of solving a problem

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Why This Matters in Real Life

You solve problems every day! When you can't reach something, you find a stool. When a toy breaks, you figure out how to fix it. That's problem solving!

Talk About It

Discuss these questions with a friend, parent, or classmate.

1Can you explain solving by starting at the end to a friend using your own words?
2What was the most interesting thing you learned today?
3Draw a picture of what you learned and show it to someone!

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

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What is the main idea of solving by starting at the end?