Solution Formulation and Design

• Solution formulation and design involves using structured tools to model problems before implementing solutions
• Structured tools include flowcharts, decision trees, and pseudocode

Introduction to Solution Formulation and Design

• Structured tools are helpful in visualizing problems clearly
• Structured tools break complex problems into smaller steps
• Structured tools are used when making decision-making systematic and logical
• Structured tools enhance collaboration between developers and stakeholders

Tools for Solution Formulation

• Flowcharts are graphical representations of an algorithm or process using symbols and arrows to indicate the flow of execution
• Advantage: Easy to understand visual representation of logic
• Advantage: Helps in debugging and identifying logical errors
• Advantage: Useful for explaining processes to non-programmers
• Common Flowchart Symbols:
• Oval: Start/end
• Parallelogram: Input/Output
• Rectangle: Process (calculation, assignment)
• Diamond: Decision (Yes/No, True/False)
• Decision trees are tree-like models used to make structured decisions based on conditions
• Advantage: Provides clear, logical decision paths
• Advantage: Useful for predictive modeling and rule-based systems
• Advantage: Helps in automating decision-making
• Examples include loan approvals and medical diagnoses
• Banks use decision trees to approve or reject loans based on salary, credit score, and past payment history
• Pseudocode is a human-readable representation of an algorithm that combines plain English with programming-like structure
• Advantage: Easy to write without worrying about syntax errors
• Advantage: Can be translated into any programming language
• Advantage: Helps developers plan before coding
• Pseudocode bridges the gap between logic and programming
• Pseudocode can be tested before writing real code

Comparative Advantages of Different Tools

• Best use cases:
• Flowchart: Visualizing processes
• Decision Tree: Rule-based decision making
• Pseudocode: Writing algorithm logic
• Ease of understanding:
• Flowchart: Very high
• Decision Tree: High
• Pseudocode: Moderate
• Helps in debugging:
• Flowchart: Yes
• Decision Tree: No
• Pseudocode: Yes
• Can be converted to code:
• Flowchart: No
• Decision Tree: Yes
• Pseudocode: Yes
• Use case examples:
• Flowchart: Data flow in an ATM
• Decision Tree: Loan approval
• Pseudocode: Sorting algorithm
• Use flowcharts when explaining the sequence of actions
• Use decision trees when making rule-based decisions
• Use pseudocode when preparing logic for programming implementation

Task: Translate a Decision Tree into Pseudocode for a Banking Application

• Task Overview: Convert a loan eligibility decision tree into pseudocode to be implemented in a program
• Define Inputs and Outputs:
• Inputs: Salary, Credit Score
• Outputs: Loan Approval or Loan Denial
• Write the pseudocode:
• BEGIN
• INPUT Salary, CreditScore
• IF Salary > 4000 THEN
• PRINT "Loan Approved"
• ELSE IF Salary >= 3000 AND Salary <= 4000 THEN
• IF CreditScore > 750 THEN
• PRINT "Loan Approved"
• ELSE
• PRINT "Loan Denied"
• ENDIF
• ELSE
• PRINT "Loan Denied"
• ENDIF
• END