Module 5: Problem-Solving Strategies: Mistake Clinic

This clinic turns wrong moves into reusable judgment. Use it after each practice page and again before the quiz or checkpoint.

---

Module-Specific Mistake Radar

Start with these traps. Replace or extend them with real mistakes from your own work.

Mistake to look for	Where it shows up	Symptom	Repair evidence
Finishing Polya Framework Workshop with only a final answer	Polya Framework Workshop	The work has no failed case, trace, test, proof gap, or design stress point.	Add the smallest broken example and show the repair that changes the result.
Finishing Heuristic Selection Lab with only a final answer	Heuristic Selection Lab	The work has no failed case, trace, test, proof gap, or design stress point.	Add the smallest broken example and show the repair that changes the result.
Finishing Structural Reasoning and Challenge Clinic with only a final answer	Structural Reasoning and Challenge Clinic	The work has no failed case, trace, test, proof gap, or design stress point.	Add the smallest broken example and show the repair that changes the result.
Finishing Code Katas with only a final answer	Code Katas	The work has no failed case, trace, test, proof gap, or design stress point.	Add the smallest broken example and show the repair that changes the result.
Treating Problem-Solving Begins with Understanding, Not Computing as vocabulary instead of a tool	Problem-Solving Begins with Understanding, Not Computing	The explanation names the concept but cannot decide between two cases.	Write one example, one non-example, and the rule that separates them.
Treating Devising a Plan Converts Random Attempts into Experiment as vocabulary instead of a tool	Devising a Plan Converts Random Attempts into Experiment	The explanation names the concept but cannot decide between two cases.	Write one example, one non-example, and the rule that separates them.

---

Practice Mistake Checks

Pull any miss from these checks into your mistake log.

Polya Framework Workshop

Source: practice/01-polya-framework-workshop.md

For each situation, identify which Polya phase was skipped or executed poorly:

1. "I got the wrong answer, so I started the whole problem over."
2. "The proof looks right but I cannot explain why step 4 follows from step 3."
3. "I started writing code immediately because the problem looked like the last one."
4. "My answer passes the sample input but fails on the hidden tests."
5. "I solved it but I have no idea where this technique would apply next."

---

Repair Protocol

For each real mistake:

1. Reproduce the failure on the smallest example, trace, proof, query, command, or design sketch.
2. Name the hidden assumption.
3. Repair the artifact.
4. Save evidence that changed: failing then passing test, corrected proof step, revised diagram, safer command, benchmark, or review note.
5. Add one retrieval card beginning with Check... before... or Do not use... when....

---

Mistake Log

Date	Mistake	Symptom	Root cause	Repair evidence	Retrieval card
Starter	Pick one radar row above	Explain how it would fail in this module	Name the assumption	Add a counterexample or corrected artifact	Write the card before closing the page

---

Completion Standard

• At least five real mistakes are logged.
• At least two mistakes include a counterexample or failing test.
• At least one mistake connects to an older semester skill.
• At least one correction changes code, a proof, a diagram, a command transcript, a query, or a design decision.