Input/Output Analysis

Before solving any problem, you must understand two things: What data goes IN (inputs) and what data comes OUT (outputs). Everything else is just the transformation between them. Finding the Largest Value Problem: Given a list of numbers, find the largest one. With this analysis, writing the code becomes straightforward: Testing with Examples Always create concrete examples before coding. Work through them by hand to verify your understanding. Problem: Reverse a string. These examples help you understand the pattern and catch edge cases (single character, empty string) before you write any code. Concrete examples with specific values are your best tool for discovering these assumptions. Work through the input by hand before writing any code, and your implementation will be far more robust.