A key issue in language acquisition is to improve native-like proficiency in vocabulary use. One solution to this is to identify word frequencies (especially in conjunction with core vocabulary) and collocation patterns based on native speakers discourse. In this paper, I first discuss some of the puzzles presented in some long-standing and recent quantitative observations of the Mandarin lexic...

Currently there appears to be no impartial set of guidelines for choosing an appropriate constraint language for solving a speci c constraint satisfaction problem. A wrong choice can cause disastrous solutions, not only relative to e cient performances, but also with respect to the code clarity of the solution, which can be important for future modi cations. In this paper we make a comparative ...

We discuss and evaluate metrics for difficulty rating of Sudoku puzzles. The correlation coefficient with human performance for our best metric is 0.95. The data on human performance were obtained from three web portals and they comprise thousands of hours of human solving over 2000 problems. We provide a simple computational model of human solving activity and evaluate it over collected data. ...

Traditional education, particularly at a university level is not necessarily very engaging. Educational escape rooms are recent game based learning approach which combines team problem solving with story-line and cryptic clues. In this paper, we apply the concept of educational to telecommunications engineering classroom by creating series two separate scenarios, each containing three puzzles. ...

The puzzle assembly problem has many application areas such as restoration and reconstruction of archeological findings, repairing of broken objects, solving jigsaw type puzzles, molecular docking problem, etc. The puzzle pieces usually include not only geometrical shape information but also visual information such as texture, color, and continuity of lines. This paper presents a new approach t...

Background and Motivation Problem solving is one of the hallmarks of human cognition. The term covers a wide range of behaviors, including abilities for solving unfamiliar puzzles, designing new artifacts, generating extended plans, and pursuing complex routine activities. These each require people to carry out sequences of mental or physical steps to achieve their objectives. They can involve ...

This paper shows how a question-answering system can use first-order logic as its language and an automatic theorem prover , based upon the resolution inference principle , as its deductive mechanism. The resolut ion proof procedure is extended to a construct i ve proof procedure. An answer construction algorithm is given whereby the system is able not only to produce yes or no answers but also...

NP-complete problems are a challenging task for researchers, who investigate tractable versions and attempt to generalise the methods used for solving them. Over the years a large set of successful standard methods have been developed. We mention A* and IDA* which have proven to be reasonably successful in solving a set of NP-complete problems, particularly single-agent games (puzzles). However...

frequent interaction among family members, may lead to conflict or problems. therefore, designing intervention programs for promote interpersonal skills among family members seemed to be necessary. one of these programs is problem solving strategies teaching.  this study aime to investigate the effects of teaching problem solving on parenting style and family problem solving. the sample is cons...

The solution of an insightful problem needs a drastic change from the "impasse" to the "insight" stage. It is assumed that in this type of a problem, solvers encounter the impasse stage because of special "constraints" like common sense. Abe, Wajima, and Nakagawa (2003) proposed a model of insight problem solving using a chaotic neural network. The model successfully simulates an insight proble...