Computational thinking and algorithm design

Formulate a problem, design a procedure, and test whether it works

Before a problem can be solved with Excel, Python, or AI, someone must decide what the problem means, what information matters, and what a satisfactory result must do. This part develops that reasoning without requiring any programming knowledge. You will formulate a computational problem, design an explicit procedure, and collect evidence about whether the procedure works. Module 3 later explains how algorithms become executable programs.

Learning objectives

By the end of this part, you will be able to:

• frame a computational problem by identifying its purpose, inputs, outputs, constraints, and success criteria;
• decompose a larger task into smaller operations and decision points;
• represent an algorithm using structured natural language, pseudocode, or a flowchart;
• trace an algorithm step by step and record how its state changes;
• select typical cases, cases at stated limits, and unusual or invalid cases that test the procedure;
• identify unclear or missing steps and procedures that may never stop, then revise the algorithm.