Problem
From Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia written in simple English for easy reading.
A problem is a situation which is difficult to deal with. The word comes from a Greek word meaning an "obstacle" (something that is in your way). If someone has a problem, they have to find a way of solving the problem. The way to solve it is called a solution.
Example: "John has locked his car keys inside his car so that he cannot get at them. John has a big problem".
We can also talk about a child with "behaviour problems".
Some problems are made up for fun. These are like puzzles. Some of them can be solved with logic, others can be solved by trial and error (this is called heuristic).
Here is an example of a mathematical problem: "John is three times as old as Mary. In three years time he will be twice as old as Mary. How old are John and Mary?"
Children often like to give one another problems that can be solved by "lateral thinking". This means using the imagination rather than strict logic. Here is an example:
"Peter, Ruth, Samuel and Jessica live in the same house. Peter and Ruth went out. When they returned they found Jessica lying dead, surrounded by glass. They were sure Samuel had done it. Why did they not call the police?" The answer is: Samuel was the cat and Jessica was a goldfish.
