Suppose That You Are Trying to Solve the Problem of Assembling

question 18

Multiple Choice

Suppose that you are trying to solve the problem of assembling a new bookcase that you have just bought, using a sheet of instructions as a guide. According to the discussion of problem understanding,

• A) you must use heuristics in order to understand a problem.
• B) a problem will have a coherent representation, as long as you have used your background knowledge about your previous experiences with assembling items.
• C) you need to mentally represent the problem, and this representation must be consistent with the assembly instructions.
• D) the major component of this phase of problem solving is the decision to use symbols and visual images to represent the various steps that are illustrated in the assembly instructions.

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Definitions:

Diminishing Marginal Utility

The principle that the satisfaction or utility gained from consuming each additional unit of a good or service decreases as more of it is consumed over a certain period.

Indifference Curves

Indifference curves are graphs showing different combinations of two goods that provide equal satisfaction and utility to a consumer.

Budget Constraint

The cap on the combinations of goods a consumer is able to purchase, determined by their earnings and the cost of those items.

Utility

A measure of satisfaction or happiness that consumers derive from consuming goods and services.