It is common for a discipline, especially one that is just getting its wits about itself, to adopt some shared, well-defined problems for teaching and study. Often known as model systems or type problems, they provide a way to compare methods and results, work out new techniques on standard examples, and set a minimum standard of capability for new participants. In time, a reasonable approach to some of these problems becomes the price of admission to get serious consideration of a new technique. Model problems also provide a pre-debugged source of educational exercises.
Biology, for example, has
Closer to home, computer science has model problems in many areas. Familiar examples include
Our intention is to stimulate a discussion about these problems, potential additional problems, and the criteria for choosing problems and evaluating or comparing solutions. To that end, this is a living site. We will attempt to incorporate comments and suggestions, along with short sketches of solutions. We are open to suggestions about how longer solutions or comparison of alternative solutions should be handled.
Updated Halloween 95 by
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