Thinking Skills: Breaking Down Challenging Questions

When supporting your child to prepare for the Selective High School Placement Test you may want to help them learn and practice different problem-solving techniques such as working backwards, making diagrams or tables, and breaking down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts.

Today we will take a closer look at helping your child to break down challenging questions. To illustrate how to do this we will use an example question from the Thinking Skills Practice Test.

The Question

The question we are going to use as an example reads as follows:

A digital display consists of seven segments which light up in different combinations to produce digits. For example, to display the digit ‘1’ the two right-hand segments normally light up as shown:

The display is used to show, in sequence, each of the digits 0 to 9. However, the display is faulty and two of the segments are not working. Two of the digits in the sequence are displayed as follows:

What is the next number in the sequence, as shown by the faulty display?

Breaking Down The Question

Looking at this question I can see three parts main parts, some of which could be broken down even further:

Understanding the clock and how it typically works
Figuring out which two numbers are displayed
- working through the possibilities
- choosing which ones fit the criteria
Selecting which answer come next in the sequence
- knowing what number to look for
- understanding how it would be displayed given two broken segments

Let’s walk through this example as a practice so you can better assist your child with their own challenging questions.

Step 1

The first part of the question introduces us to a digital clock and how works and how a number 1 would be displayed.

This is pretty straight forward, and helps us to understand what is happening here.

Step 2

We then need to figure out which two numbers are displayed in the image below, given that they are in sequence (eg. 1 and 2, 2 and 3, 3 and 4.. etc) and that only 2 segments are broken.

Here is the picture again:

If we work our way through numbers 1 – 9 for the first image we can see it could be a 2 with a broken top right segment or a 6 with a broken top left and bottom right segment. No other number 1 – 9 would produce this pattern with only 2 broken segments.

If we work our way through numbers 1 – 9 for the image on the right we can see that it could be a 3 with a broken top right and bottom right segment or a 5 with a broken top left and bottom right segment. No other numbers 1 – 9 produce this pattern with only 2 broken segments.

We also know that the numbers need to be in sequence, therefore it must be 2 then 3.

Like so:

Step 3

The question asks us “What is the next number in the sequence, as shown by the faulty display?”

2 and 3 is followed by 4, so we are looking for a number 4.

We also know it is the top and bottom right segments that are broken.

4 with a broken top and bottom right section would look like this:

So the answer is A.

How Breaking Down A Question Can Help With The Thinking Skills Section

When it comes to the Thinking Skills section of the Selective High School Placement Test, there will be many challenging and complex questions. Breaking down a question in smaller, more manageable parts helps students to feel calm and in control. It allows students to work through each part and find the correct answer.

Having well practiced problem solving techniques will help students to know how to approach difficult questions. While not every question needs to be broken down, it is very helpful to do this if a question is particularly complex. Why not try this technique yourself with other thinking skills questions in the practice questions (and answers).

For more strategies you can read our Test Taking Strategies for The Selective High School Placement Test, or for more help specifically with Thinking Skills we have a blog post on Using Diagrams To Help With Thinking Skills In The Selective High School Test and Making A Table to Solve Challenging Questions .

We also offer one on one tutoring, in Hurstville Sydney or online. We have helped hundreds on students prepare for the Selective High School Placement Test and gain entry into the school their choice.

Selective High School Test Preparation

In our Selective School Preparation Program, students will learn and develop a strong conceptual understanding of all key concepts. Students will receive one on one support where our skillful tutor will cater to each student’s weakness and work along with them to perform their best. Find out more…