ABSTRACT
Very often the simplest way of solving a problem is to think of a similar one we have solved in the past and use that solution. The general term for using an earlier problem to solve a new one is analogical problem solving. Although we can often use an earlier problem as an analogy, the term analogy can be used to cover a wide range of phenomena. For example, if we are trying to explain an unfamiliar concept to someone it is common to use some kind of analogy with a concept the person already knows. Analogies in the form of metaphors can also provide a new way of looking at things with which we are already familiar, allowing us to see new and perhaps unforeseen relationships.
