Abstraction
Abstraction is the second of the three key techniques needed for Computational Thinking ( finding the steps you need to take to find the best solution to a complex problem)
Abstraction is removing all unneccesary data and information from a problem to let you focus on just the important information.
An example of abstraction (continuing the tea example from decomposition)
Problem: How to make a cup of tea.
Important Information | Not Important Information (ignore it) |
| Size of the cup (need to know how much water) | Colour of cup |
| Ideal temperature of water for tea | How long it takes kettle to boil |
| How strong the tea needs to be | How strong the tea bag is |
| What type of tea (black, green) | What brand of tea |
| How much milk to add | What dairy the milk is from |
| Do they need sugar or sweetener | The type of sugar |
Other examples of Abstraction include - Maps, (they ignore a lot of real information to simplify the map) Using a Coffee Machine to make coffee - (you don't need to know how it actually works inside, just that it makes a coffee), A toaster (you just set a time, it does the rest) etc.