Getting the Most out of the
New PoW Submission Process

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The Problems of the Week || Student Center || Teachers' Place
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The Problem of the Week submission process is a lot more involved than it used to be! After you submit an answer, you'll have an opportunity to get help, check your answer, or even compare your solution to solutions submitted by other students. While you could certainly submit a solution and then look at all the hints, clues, and solutions, you won't learn as much as you might if you take things step by step.

Here are some suggestions that might help you get the most out of the new format. (Also, if you follow these steps and your submission gets mentored, the mentor will know a lot more about what you did and will have a much better idea of how to help you!)

What if I'm not sure how to solve the problem? While you'll be able to get some hints after you submit, it's important to think about the problem as much as possible on your own. Here are some questions to think about - you might want to include answers to these question in your first submission:
  • What information do I know?
  • What will the answer look like? Can I estimate it?
  • What do I still need to find out?
  • Where did I get stuck?

After you submit your initial attempt, take a look at the first hint that's available. If that hint helps you think about the problem some more, even if you don't think you can solve it yet, go and revise your answer and include whatever new thinking you've come up with. Continue doing this with each hint in order, adding to your solution each time if the hint helps.

What if I think I've solved the problem and want to check my answer? Submit your answer, along with a complete explanation. Then use the "clues" to check your answer. After thinking about a clue, decide whether you need to work on your solution a bit more. If you're confident that you're still right, check out the next clue. Etc.
What if I'm confident that my answer and explanation are correct? Submit your answer and a complete explanation. Then choose to view the other student solutions that are provided. Read them over carefully and think about how they compare to your own. You might think about the following questions:
  • How do the methods used differ from my own?
  • Did I learn anything new or see anything interesting in their solutions?
  • Is there anything I would do differently now?

After thinking about these questions, write a little something in the text block at the bottom of that page and share your thoughts with us.

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January 2002