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1. Name the two most important things/concepts which you learned from the reading the chapter "The Architecture of Complexity" A. hierarchy in systems B. nearly decomposable systems 1.1. give a one paragraph explanation why you consider these concepts important These concepts are important because they imply that complex systems are not so complex. Such systems can be created, understood and described as a system of subsystems. Simon also implies that humans really need to know about only a fraction of the systems in the universe to understand most of the systems in the universe. 1.2. are the concepts relevant to your work, to your interest? if yes, why? For me, the most relevant concept is "Hierarchy" because I am an object-oriented software developer. This article proposes that complex systems are hierarchical. This proposition means that any complex system could be modelled in software using object-oriented design. 2) The Mutilated "8x8" Matrix 1. try to find an answer to this problem! ? document briefly your thinking including all the important intermediate steps and failing attempts (i.e., create a think-aloud protocol) Failed attempt 1: Put vertical dominos at the end of lines opposite the cut outs; then put vertical dominos above and below these and horizontal dominos inside. Failed attempt 2: Did 2 rows of staggered vertical dominos; filled in the rest with horizontal dominos. Failed attempt 3: Put in random vertical dominos and filled in with horizontal dominos. I cannot solve this myself, but I can't disprove that it can be solved. 2. which resources did you use to solve the problem? A pencil and an eraser 3. which process did you use? Trial and error 4. which practice (of you or others) did you use? Drawing vertical and horizontal dominos onto the matrix. 5. could computers be useful to solve this problem? Yes, I think a computer could be used to show whether or not this problem can be solved. It would need to try every possible combination of vertical and horizontal dominos. I don't think it would be easy to create such a program, but I do think it could be done. 6. what have you learned solving the problem: in general and for our course? I didn't solve the problem. 7. what have you learned not being able to solve the problem: in general and for our course? I have learned that I do not know how to change the representation of the problem to something more familiar. |
