The concept of “problem solving” is a very loosely defined notion, a kind of umbrella term for a number of different theoretical approaches (Nesher, Hershkowitz and Novotná,2003).
If we admit that solving a genuine problem is not just a matter of following a particular algorithm, we have to define heuristic strategies used for their solution. First Polya (1945)
and then Schoenfeld (1985) suggested several general strategies for solving word problems based on questions like: What is the unknown? What are the data? What are the conditions? Do you
know a related problem that has already been solved? Prepare a plan for the solution. Verify the gained results.