Lateral Thinking:

In Week 7, we were thought the skills of using Lateral Thinking. It is a method whereby we look at the problem in different directions as compared to the boring "straight" way that we usually do. In a way, we think out of the box to get to a solution. 

We were given different questions in class and were expected to solve them as quickly as possible with the use of Lateral Thinking. 

This was one of the problems given that we were expected to solve. Given 10 dots, with 3 moves, you have to turn the entire diagram downwards. I wrecked my brains but wasn't able to come up with the solution. It made me really frustrated, and when my friend showed me how, it was so simple I felt embarrassed I couldn't solve it.

Photo by Author 


We were given other problems to solve as well, such as the one shown below. To complete the drawing within a definite number of steps. It took me many tries for this as well just to get the answer.

   
Photos by Author

Some questions circling Lateral Thinking: 

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http://image.slidesharecdn.com/lateralthinkingpuzzles-120924080245-phpapp01/95/lateral-thinking-puzzles-45-728.jpg?cb=1348474027

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Another question given was that, there is a painting of a rose, a window and a vase containing a fresh rose. A bee flew in, but went straight for the painting of the flower instead of the fresh flower. We were tasked to come up with 10 logical and 10 illogical possibilities as to why this has happened. 


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It took me quite a while before I started writing down possible reasons to this particular question. As everybody was, I was stunned when I read the slide, why would the been fly towards the painting instead of the fresh flower? Below are the reasons I came up with, logical and illogical. 

 
                Photos by Author 

At the end of the day, I feel that Lateral Thinking pushes us to think out of the common areas and of our comfort zones. Our brain is pushed to the limit to come up with the most creative of ways to solve the problem. Although it may be tough, it is fun in a way to see what kind of solutions our minds are capable of producing.