Computer Science
Grade 4
20 min
Finding the Fastest Path: A Maze Solving Challenge
Explore different strategies for solving a maze and identify which is the most efficient.
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Explain that an algorithm is a set of steps to solve a problem.
Trace a path through a simple maze using a given algorithm.
Define 'efficiency' as finding the path with the fewest steps.
Compare two different paths in a maze to determine which is faster.
Identify the start, end, junctions, and dead ends in a maze.
Create a simple step-by-step algorithm to solve a small maze.
Have you ever been lost in a corn maze or a video game? 🗺️ How do you find your way out the fastest way possible? 🚀
Today, we're going on an adventure to learn how to teach a computer to solve a maze! We won't just find any path; we'll learn how to find the FASTEST path. This is called making our code more 'efficient', which means smarter and quick...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
AlgorithmA list of step-by-step instructions to finish a task, like a recipe for baking cookies.An algorithm for getting ready for school could be: 1. Wake up. 2. Brush teeth. 3. Get dressed. 4. Eat breakfast.
PathA route you can take from the start of the maze to the end.Following the yellow brick road is taking a specific path to the Emerald City.
EfficiencyFinding the best and fastest way to do something by using the fewest steps.If one path takes 10 steps and another takes 15 steps, the 10-step path is more efficient.
JunctionA spot in the maze where the path splits and you have to choose which way to go (like left, right, or straight).Coming to a fork in the road where you can turn left or right is a junction.
Dead EndA path that doesn't lead anywhere and f...
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Core Syntax & Patterns
The Wall Follower Algorithm
Place one hand on a wall (either the right or left) and keep it there as you walk.
This is a simple algorithm that can solve many mazes. You just follow the wall, turning whenever it turns. It doesn't always find the fastest path, but it will get you out of simple mazes.
The Step Counter Method
Count every square or step you take along a path.
Use this to compare two different paths. The path with the lowest number of steps is the most efficient, or 'fastest', path.
4 more steps in this tutorial
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Challenging
Imagine a maze has teleporters. A path of 5 steps might lead to a teleporter that zips you right to the end. How does this change what the "fastest path" means?
A.The fastest path is always the one with the most steps
B.Teleporters make the maze impossible to solve
C.The path with the fewest steps might not be the fastest anymore
D.The fastest path is the one that avoids all teleporters
Challenging
A smart algorithm remembers every square it has already visited. How does this help it find the fastest path more quickly?
A.It makes the robot move slower but more carefully
B.It stops the robot from going in circles or re-visiting dead ends
C.It gives the robot a map of a different maze
D.It changes the maze walls to make it easier
Challenging
An algorithm explores one path and finds the exit in 30 steps. To be sure it has found the *fastest* path, what should the algorithm do next?
A.Stop immediately, because it found an answer
B.Go back to the start and take the same path again
C.Declare that 30 steps is the fastest possible time
D.Keep searching for other paths that might have fewer than 30 steps
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