What is abstraction?
Abstraction means keeping only the important details of a problem and ignoring those that do not matter. By hiding unnecessary detail, you can focus on the main idea and build a simpler, clearer solution.
A good example is a train map. It shows the stations and the lines between them, but leaves out real distances, roads and buildings. Those details are not needed to plan a journey, so they are removed.
Example
To write steps for making a sandwich, the colour of the plate does not matter, so it is ignored. The type of bread and filling do matter, so they are kept.
What is logical reasoning?
Logical reasoning means using facts and rules you already know to work out or predict an answer. Instead of guessing, you follow the rules step by step to reach a conclusion that must be true.
For example: "If a number ends in 0, it can be divided by 10. The number 90 ends in 0, so 90 can be divided by 10." Each step follows the rule, so the conclusion is certain.
Key idea
Abstraction removes detail that is not needed. Logical reasoning uses rules and facts to reach a sure conclusion. Both help you plan correct solutions.
Using them together
Abstraction and logical reasoning are parts of computational thinking. Abstraction makes a problem simpler to see, and logical reasoning helps you predict what will happen and check that your solution is correct.
Remember
- Abstraction = keep what matters, ignore the rest.
- Logical reasoning = use known facts and rules to reach a conclusion.
- A map that uses symbols instead of real objects shows abstraction.