Exploring Computer Science Standards: Unit 2 – Problem Solving (PS)
Beginning
 Name the steps you will use
to solve the problem
Approaching
 Explain each step you will
use to solve the problem
Meeting
 Solve a problem using your
problem-solving plan
 Express your solution using
standard design tools
Standard PS.2
Determine if a given algorithm
successfully solves a given
problem
 Identify the steps in the
given algorithm
 Explain what the algorithm
does step-by-step
 Determine if the algorithm
solves the given problem
successfully
Standard PS.3
Create algorithms to solve
problems
 Identify the problem to be
solve
 Explain how you can solve
the problem using an
algorithm
Standard PS.4
Make connections between
binary numbers and computers
 Convert between binary and
decimal representations of a
number

 Create an algorithm to solve
the problem
 Test the algorithm to see if
it solves the problem
 Describe how bits in a
computer are like binary
numbers
 Explain how the computer
uses bits and bytes to
represent things
Standard PS.1
Solve a problem by applying
appropriate problem-solving
techniques
Explain how to convert
between binary and decimal
representations of numbers
Exceeding
 Analyze your problemsolving plan based on your
solution
 Modify your plan as
necessary and repeat your
process
 Analyze the algorithm to
determine if it can be more
efficient
 Modify the algorithm to
successfully solve the
problem
 Analyze the algorithm to
determine if it can be more
efficient
 Explain the behavior of bits
 Justify why binary numbers
are the best choice for
computers