1. Steps in Problem Solving
Introduction to Agriculture
Problem Solving
Steps in Problem Solving

2. Scientific Method
May 2007
Animal Science Revision Committee

3. What is agriculture? Farming Cows and hogs Technology
The study of animals
Growing plants
Others??

4. How has your life and your family’s life changed as a result of agriculture?
Many choices of high quality foods to eat
Clothing made out of many different fibers produced from agricultural products
A source of fuels to replace gasoline
Others??

5. What is science? Study of life Study of the earth Experimenting
A way to make things better
Technology

6. Science and Agriculture
What are some Similarities between science and agriculture?

7. Seven Steps In the Scientific Method
Identify the problem
Formulate the hypothesis
Design and conduct experiments
Collect Data
Analyze the data
Draw conclusions
Make recommendations

8. What is the importance of the scientific method?
Logical problem-solving approach to answer questions
Provide clues or remedies to make logical changes
Repeat or replicate another scientist's experiment

9. Need for problem solving skills
Why is having problem solving skills important?
Lots of problems develop or decisions have to be made, in any agriscience endeavor.
Solving problems in a logical way helps to alleviate stressful feelings.

10. What types of problems arise in Agriscience?
Growing conditions of animals
Fish kill in aquaculture lab
Best feed, amount for animals
Rabbits won’t breed
Growing conditions of plants
Plants wilt and die
Greenhouses too hot
Soil doesn’t hold enough fertilizer
Poinsettias weren’t turning red

11. 4 Easy Steps to Problem Solving
1. UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM
Can you state the problem in your own words?
What are you trying to find or do?
What are the unknowns?
What information do you obtain from the problem?
What information is missing or not needed?

12. Steps in Problem Solving, cont.
2. DEVISING A PLAN
Look for a pattern.
Examine related problems, and determine if the same technique can be applied.
Make a diagram.
Use guess and check.
Work backward.

13. Steps in Problem Solving, cont.
3. CARRYING OUT THE PLAN
Implement the strategy or strategies in step 2, and perform any necessary actions or computations.
Check each step of the plan as you proceed. This may be intuitive checking or a formal proof of each step.
Keep an accurate record of your work.

14. Steps in Problem Solving, cont.
4. LOOKING BACK
Check the results in the original problem.
Interpret the solution in terms of the original problem. Does your answer make sense? Is it reasonable?
Determine whether there is another method of finding the solution.
If possible, determine other related or more general problems for which the techniques will work

15. Activity: Problems, Problems
Think of a problem you had to solve today or yesterday. How did you solve it?
Write the 4 steps you used in solving your problem.

16. Activity 2: Hand in, work individually
What steps would you follow in solving the following problems?
1. Tomato plants in garden are droopy.
2. Lettuce leaves have holes in them.
3. Calf is standing away from the herd, head down, and bleating “mooing”.

17. Solving Research Problems through the Scientific Method
1. Ask a question.
What is the purpose of the experiment?
What do you want to learn?
Ex: What will a spider plant do without water for 2 weeks?
2. Research information
Has anything been written about the problem?
Ex: Some plants can hold water

18. The Scientific Method, cont.
3. Develop a hypothesis
Educated guess predicting the results of the study
Always a statement.
Ex: A spider plant will hold water for 2 weeks without wilting.

19. The Scientific Method, cont.
4. Perform the experiment.
Design a test to prove or disprove the hypothesis.
Include a “control” that in unaffected by the experiment
Procedures – steps in the experiment
Ex – Water 1 plant normally, every 4-5 days (control). Refrain from watering 1 plant for 2 weeks. Observe condition of plant daily.

20. The Scientific Method, cont.
5. Analyze the results.
Record what happened during experiment
Use charts, graphs, etc.
6. Conclusion
Was your hypothesis correct?

21. The Scientific Method, cont.
Do Experiment: Shiny as a New Penny

22. Assignment
Read and answer questions to “The Circumstances” handout.