Apply the strategies and tools of smart problem solving—and succeed in work and life! What do Albert Einstein, Elon Musk, Sherlock Holmes and Mahatma Gandhiʼs six-year-old granddaughter have in common? They are all masters of the art of smart problem solving—a highly sought-after skill that you can learn too! - Gain insights into the surprising findings of the science of problem solving - Develop a problem-solving mindset - Use a powerful 5-step approach to solve even the toughest problems - Be inspired by stories of highly successful problem solvers - Learn from expert problem solvers like scientists, doctors, designers, coaches and highly paid management consultants - Apply practical problem-solving and decision-making tools right away Use this book to build your problem-solving muscle and enhance your ability to change things for the better! “I found Solve It! to be a practically useful, thought provoking and uplift ing read which will be invaluable to experienced problem solvers and beginners alike. I love the way it combines techniques for getting the mind ‘match fit’ for tackling problems alongside practical and logical tools for solving perennial problems we all face once and for all! ” ~Jonathan Borrett, Head of Profession for Problem Solving, Devon and Cornwall Police, Exeter, UK “While many experts often focus on just the problem-solving process, Dr. Sternad's important book does a great job of emphasizing the critical mindset needed to successfully engage in this process.” ~Edward C. Chang, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and Social Work, University of Michigan “A great piece of work, which was much needed for spreading one of the most important skills in management!” ~Roberto Quaglia, Ph.D., former consultant at McKinsey & Company and Professor of Strategy and Management at ESCP Business School, Paris “Solve It! is a highly accessible guide to problem solving—whether at work or in life—that seamlessly integrates scientifically‐rooted principles with practical guidelines and real‐world vignettes making this well‐rounded book accessible to and relevant for a variety of audiences, ranging from student to professional. ~Jessica Mesmer‐Magnus, Ph.D., SHRM‐SCP, Professor & Chair, Department of Management, Cameron School of Business, University of North Carolina Wilmington

"...students are presented with a scenario that poses a problem to be solved, then provided with evidence to analyse and assess, and asked to complete a report in which they give their solution and justify their problem-solving processes." -- Book 1 back cover.

No pleasure lasts long unless there is variety in it. Publilius Syrus, Moral Sayings We've been very fortunate to receive fantastic feedback from our readers during the last four years, since the first edition of How to Solve It: Modern Heuristics was published in 1999. It's heartening to know that so many people appreciated the book and, even more importantly, were using the book to help them solve their problems. One professor, who published a review of the book, said that his students had given the best course reviews he'd seen in 15 years when using our text. There can be hardly any better praise, except to add that one of the book reviews published in a SIAM journal received the best review award as well. We greatly appreciate your kind words and personal comments that you sent, including the few cases where you found some typographical or other errors. Thank you all for this wonderful support.

This book is addressed to people with research interests in the nature of mathematical thinking at any level, topeople with an interest in "higher-order thinking skills" in any domain, and to all mathematics teachers. The focal point of the book is a framework for the analysis of complex problem-solving behavior. That framework is presented in Part One, which consists of Chapters 1 through 5. It describes four qualitatively different aspects of complex intellectual activity: cognitive resources, the body of facts and procedures at one's disposal; heuristics, "rules of thumb" for making progress in difficult situations; control, having to do with the efficiency with which individuals utilize the knowledge at their disposal; and belief systems, one's perspectives regarding the nature of a discipline and how one goes about working in it. Part Two of the book, consisting of Chapters 6 through 10, presents a series of empirical studies that flesh out the analytical framework. These studies document the ways that competent problem solvers make the most of the knowledge at their disposal. They include observations of students, indicating some typical roadblocks to success. Data taken from students before and after a series of intensive problem-solving courses document the kinds of learning that can result from carefully designed instruction. Finally, observations made in typical high school classrooms serve to indicate some of the sources of students' (often counterproductive) mathematical behavior.

The bestselling book that has helped millions of readers solve any problem A must-have guide by eminent mathematician G. Polya, How to Solve It shows anyone in any field how to think straight. In lucid and appealing prose, Polya reveals how the mathematical method of demonstrating a proof or finding an unknown can help you attack any problem that can be reasoned out—from building a bridge to winning a game of anagrams. How to Solve It includes a heuristic dictionary with dozens of entries on how to make problems more manageable—from analogy and induction to the heuristic method of starting with a goal and working backward to something you already know. This disarmingly elementary book explains how to harness curiosity in the classroom, bring the inventive faculties of students into play, and experience the triumph of discovery. But it’s not just for the classroom. Generations of readers from all walks of life have relished Polya’s brilliantly deft instructions on stripping away irrelevancies and going straight to the heart of a problem.

Creative and practical free-market solutions to climate change In Capitalism Created the Climate Crisis and Capitalism Will Solve It: The Market Forces Catalyzing a Climate Technology Renaissance, distinguished author Kentaro Kawamori delivers a fascinating and timely exploration of the interplay between capitalism and climate change. He explains how the capitalist system helped to contribute to the current crisis of global warming and how that same system will help to end it. In the book, the author discusses the enormous impact of the climate crisis and how the government, the modern finance industry, the fossil fuel industry, and others combined to accelerate the warming of the world. He then considers the roles those same players will play to reverse this effect in the coming years. You’ll also find: Discussions of how climate tech innovations will transform the economy and how technology disruptors will become involved in the process The ways the energy industry will change to incorporate the realities and consequences of a warming climate Explorations of the incentives created by free market structures and how to include climate stakeholders in the discussion An engaging and exciting new resource for anyone interested in the intersection of economics, business, and the environment, Capitalism Created the Climate Crisis and Capitalism Will Solve It contains practical and thoughtful climate prescriptions for a world desperately in need of them.