Lesson: Intermediate Problem Solving - 24

When To Create Sketches

Some people are most comfortable when they can visualize a problem, others use drawings only on a few specific occasions. You will have your own preferences, but there are a few general guidelines that can help you know when you should create a sketch.

Questions that test multiple geometric rules or involve multiple figures and relationships usually require a diagram.
A problem that gives the area of a triangle but asks for the circumference of a circle requires the use of a few different rules and formulas. It's a good idea to draw a diagram in such cases to keep track of the elements involved. In addition, these problems are usually solved by using one measurement to find out another measurement, and so on; a diagram makes it easier to see the relationships among the elements.

On the other hand, you may find that you can do without sketching questions that are testing your knowledge of a single geometric rule or formula.

For example, a problem that that gives you a circle's radius and asks for a circumference is testing a single formula. In cases like this, you can often extract the necessary numbers and recall the appropriate formula or rule, which makes drawing unnecessary.

Always read and understand the question before you visualize it with a sketch.

Let's check out a few examples and consider whether a drawing would help us.

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