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title: "Reverse Thinking" difficulty: "medium" tags: ["Reverse Thinking", "Problem Solving", "Strategic Planning"] testCases:

• description: "Business Strategy" inputText: | Goal: Achieve 20% market share in the competitive smartphone market within two years Initial State: A new company with innovative technology but 0% market share and limited capital Constraints: Marketing and operations budget of $50 million, pricing cannot be below manufacturing cost, must achieve profitability by the end of the second year llmResult: |

  Thinking Backwards from the Market Share Goal

  To achieve a 20% market share in the smartphone market within two years, I will analyze the required conditions by working backward from the target state.

  Step 1: Define the Target State (Month 24)

  • Market share reaches 20%
  • Achieve profitability
  • Establish brand awareness
  • Have a stable supply chain

  Step 2: Conditions Required by Month 18

  • Market share reaches 15%
  • Product line is complete
  • Channel network is established
  • Cost control is in place

  Step 3: Conditions Required by Month 12

  • Market share reaches 8%
  • Core product is successfully launched
  • Marketing strategy is validated as effective
  • Supply chain is operating stably

  Step 4: Conditions Required by Month 6

  • Market share reaches 3%
  • First product is released
  • Preliminary brand building
  • Channel partners are confirmed

  Step 5: Conditions Required by Month 3

  • Product development is complete
  • Marketing plan is formulated
  • Supply chain is established
  • Team is fully assembled

  Step 6: Conditions Required by Month 1

  • Product design is finalized
  • Funding is secured
  • Core team is recruited
  • Market research is complete

  Forward Action Plan

  Preparation Phase (Months 1-3):

  1. Complete product design and prototype development
  2. Recruit core team (technology, marketing, operations)
  3. Establish supply chain partnerships
  4. Formulate a detailed market entry strategy

  Product Development Phase (Months 4-6):

  1. Complete product development and testing
  2. Establish production supply chain
  3. Formulate marketing and pricing strategies
  4. Establish sales channel network

  Market Entry Phase (Months 7-12):

  1. Official product launch
  2. Large-scale marketing promotion
  3. Channel sales begin
  4. User feedback collection and product iteration

  Expansion Phase (Months 13-18):

  1. Expand product line
  2. Increase market share
  3. Optimize operational efficiency
  4. Establish brand advantage

  Maturity Phase (Months 19-24):

  1. Achieve 20% market share goal
  2. Achieve profitability
  3. Consolidate market position
  4. Prepare for the next stage of development

• description: "Personal Finance" inputText: | Goal: Save $50,000 for a house down payment in 3 years Initial State: Currently have $5,000 in savings, annual salary of $45,000, monthly expenses of $2,000 Constraints: Basic expenses cannot be less than $1,500 per month, weekly working hours cannot exceed 60 hours, must maintain a $3,000 emergency fund llmResult: |

  Thinking Backwards from the Down Payment Goal

  To save $50,000 for a down payment in 3 years, I will analyze the required conditions by working backward from the goal.

  Step 1: Define the Target State (Month 36)

  • Have $50,000 for a down payment
  • Maintain a $3,000 emergency fund
  • Total savings reach $53,000

  Step 2: Conditions Required by Month 30

  • Savings reach $44,000
  • Monthly savings rate reaches the target level
  • Investment strategy is validated as effective

  Step 3: Conditions Required by Month 24

  • Savings reach $35,000
  • Income has increased or expenses are optimized
  • Investment portfolio is established

  Step 4: Conditions Required by Month 18

  • Savings reach $26,000
  • Stable saving habits
  • Preliminary investments have begun

  Step 5: Conditions Required by Month 12

  • Savings reach $17,000
  • Expense optimization is complete
  • Savings plan is being executed well

  Step 6: Conditions Required by Month 6

  • Savings reach $11,000
  • Budget plan is formulated
  • Saving habits are established

  Forward Action Plan

  Preparation Phase (Months 1-3):

  1. Formulate a detailed budget plan
  2. Optimize spending structure
  3. Establish an automatic savings mechanism
  4. Learn the basics of investing

  Savings Building Phase (Months 4-12):

  1. Save $1,500 per month
  2. Find a side hustle to increase income
  3. Continue to optimize expenses
  4. Build an emergency fund

  Investment Start Phase (Months 13-24):

  1. Start investing savings
  2. Increase savings amount
  3. Monitor investment performance
  4. Adjust investment strategy

  Accelerated Savings Phase (Months 25-36):

  1. Maximize savings rate
  2. Optimize investment portfolio
  3. Monitor progress towards the goal
  4. Prepare for home purchase

• description: "Software Development" inputText: | Goal: Develop and launch a mobile app that can use AI to process and analyze user-uploaded photos within 6 months Initial State: A team of 3 developers with web development experience but limited mobile and AI experience Constraints: Maximum budget of $200,000, must comply with data privacy regulations, the app must run on iOS and Android llmResult: |

  Thinking Backwards from the AI Mobile App Goal

  To develop an AI photo processing mobile app in 6 months, I will analyze the required conditions by working backward from the goal.

  Step 1: Define the Target State (Month 6)

  • App is live on iOS and Android
  • AI functionality is working correctly
  • User data privacy is compliant
  • Budget is controlled within $200,000

  Step 2: Conditions Required by Month 5

  • App testing is complete
  • AI model integration is complete
  • Privacy compliance is validated
  • App store review is prepared

  Step 3: Conditions Required by Month 4

  • Core feature development is complete
  • AI model training is complete
  • User interface is complete
  • Backend services are deployed

  Step 4: Conditions Required by Month 3

  • Mobile app framework is set up
  • AI model development has begun
  • Database design is complete
  • User authentication system

  Step 5: Conditions Required by Month 2

  • Technical architecture is finalized
  • Development environment is set up
  • Team skills are trained
  • Project plan is formulated

  Step 6: Conditions Required by Month 1

  • Requirements analysis is complete
  • Technology stack is selected
  • Team expansion plan
  • Budget allocation plan

  Forward Action Plan

  Preparation Phase (Month 1):

  1. Detailed requirements analysis and feature planning
  2. Technical architecture design and selection
  3. Recruit AI experts and mobile development experts
  4. Formulate a detailed project plan

  Development Phase (Months 2-4):

  1. Set up development environment and infrastructure
  2. Develop core features of the mobile app
  3. Train and integrate the AI model
  4. Develop backend services and APIs

  Integration and Testing Phase (Month 5):

  1. Feature integration and testing
  2. Performance optimization
  3. Privacy compliance validation
  4. User interface optimization

  Launch Phase (Month 6):

  1. App store submission and review
  2. Production environment deployment
  3. Monitoring and bug fixing
  4. User feedback collection

• description: "Educational Planning" inputText: | Goal: Achieve fluency in Chinese (HSK Level 5) in 18 months Initial State: Complete beginner with no prior knowledge of Chinese, working a full-time job (40 hours/week) Constraints: Maximum of 10 hours per week for studying, a budget of $3,000 for learning resources, no opportunity to live in a Chinese-speaking country llmResult: |

  Thinking Backwards from Chinese Fluency

  To achieve HSK Level 5 (fluent) Chinese in 18 months, I will analyze the required conditions by working backward from the goal.

  Step 1: Define the Target State (Month 18)

  • Master 2,500 words
  • Be able to read Chinese newspapers and magazines
  • Understand Chinese movies and TV shows
  • Be able to give a full speech in Chinese

  Step 2: Conditions Required by Month 15

  • Complete HSK Level 4 materials
  • Be able to have complex conversations
  • Understand most Chinese content
  • Master 2,000 Chinese characters

  Step 3: Conditions Required by Month 12

  • Complete HSK Level 3 materials
  • Be able to have daily conversations
  • Establish study habits
  • Master 1,200 Chinese characters

  Step 4: Conditions Required by Month 9

  • Complete HSK Level 2 materials
  • Master basic grammar
  • Establish pronunciation habits
  • Master 600 Chinese characters

  Step 5: Conditions Required by Month 6

  • Complete HSK Level 1 materials
  • Learn the Pinyin system
  • Understand basic sentences
  • Master 300 Chinese characters

  Step 6: Conditions Required by Month 3

  • Learn basic greetings
  • Master Pinyin pronunciation
  • Establish a study schedule
  • Master 150 Chinese characters

  Forward Action Plan

  Foundation Phase (Months 1-3):

  1. Learn the Pinyin pronunciation system
  2. Master basic greetings and introductions
  3. Establish daily study habits
  4. Learn the first 150 Chinese characters

  Beginner Phase (Months 4-6):

  1. Complete HSK Level 1 materials
  2. Learn basic grammar structures
  3. Start Chinese character writing practice
  4. Find a language exchange partner

  Intermediate Phase (Months 7-12):

  1. Complete HSK Level 2-3 materials
  2. Expand vocabulary to 1,200 words
  3. Increase conversation practice
  4. Start reading simple content

  Advanced Phase (Months 13-18):

  1. Complete HSK Level 4-5 materials
  2. Expand vocabulary to 2,500 words
  3. Extensive reading and listening practice
  4. Practice complex conversations and speeches scoringCriteria:

• name: "Reverse Reasoning Structure" weight: 1 description: "Check if the reasoning starts from the goal state and works backward" evaluationMethod: "Check if the reasoning starts from the goal state and works backward" passCriteria: "Clear evidence of backward reasoning from the final goal through intermediate states to the initial state"

• name: "Step Completeness" weight: 1 description: "Count the number of necessary intermediate steps identified" evaluationMethod: "Count the number of necessary intermediate steps identified" passCriteria: "At least 80% of the critical steps required to achieve the goal are identified"

• name: "Constraint Integration" weight: 1 description: "Assess how constraints are handled in the solution" evaluationMethod: "Assess how constraints are handled in the solution" passCriteria: "All constraints are explicitly considered, and the solution remains within them"

• name: "Dependency Analysis" weight: 1 description: "Check if dependencies between steps are correctly identified" evaluationMethod: "Check if dependencies between steps are correctly identified" passCriteria: "The logical sequence shows a correct understanding of which steps must precede others"

• name: "Feasibility Assessment" weight: 1 description: "Assess the practicality of the proposed solution path" evaluationMethod: "Assess the practicality of the proposed solution path" passCriteria: "The solution is realistic and achievable given the initial state, constraints, and timeline" promptTemplate: | [Your prompt here]

Goal: {Describe the desired outcome} Initial State: {Describe the current situation} Constraints: {List any limitations or requirements} expectedOutput: |

Thinking Backwards from Chinese Fluency

To achieve HSK Level 5 (fluent) Chinese in 18 months while holding a full-time job, with a weekly study time limit of 10 hours and a budget of $3,000, I will analyze this challenge from goal to start.

Step 1: Detail the Target State

HSK Level 5 requires:

• Mastery of 2,500 words
• Ability to read Chinese newspapers and magazines
• Comprehension of Chinese movies and TV shows
• Ability to deliver a full speech in Chinese
• Understanding of complex grammatical structures

Step 2: What is required 1 month before HSK 5?

• Must have completed HSK Level 4 materials (approx. 1,200 words)
• Must be practicing extended conversations regularly
• Must be consuming native Chinese content daily
• Must have developed a systematic method for error correction
• Must be familiar with at least 2,000 Chinese characters

Step 3: What is required at 12 months (midpoint)?

• Must have completed HSK Level 3 materials (approx. 600 words)
• Must be able to hold basic conversations about daily life
• Must have established a consistent daily practice habit
• Must be using a spaced repetition system effectively
• Should have found a language exchange partner

Step 4: What is required at 6 months?

• Must have completed HSK Level 2 materials (approx. 300 words)
• Must have mastered basic grammatical structures
• Must have developed correct pronunciation habits
• Must have established an efficient study system
• Should be practicing basic conversations regularly

Step 5: What is required at 3 months?

• Must have completed HSK Level 1 materials (approx. 150 words)
• Must have fully learned the Pinyin system
• Must understand basic sentence structures
• Must have selected core learning resources
• Should have started daily character writing practice

Step 6: What is required at 1 month?

• Must have learned basic greetings and introductions
• Must have mastered the basics of Pinyin pronunciation
• Must have established a consistent study schedule
• Must have acquired necessary learning resources
• Should have learned approx. 50-100 Chinese characters

Step 7: What is required on Day 1 (start)?

• Must have selected appropriate learning resources within budget
• Must have created a realistic 10-hour weekly schedule
• Must have designed an effective study environment
• Must have established a progress tracking mechanism
• Should have identified potential language exchange platforms

Forward Action Plan

Preparation Phase (Weeks 1-2):

1. Purchase core resources: a structured textbook series ($150), a spaced repetition software subscription ($60/year), graded readers ($100), and an audio program ($100)
2. Set up a dedicated study environment with minimal distractions
3. Create a daily schedule: 1 hour on weekdays, 2.5 hours on weekends
4. Install language learning apps and tools (Pleco, Anki, HelloTalk)
5. Create a progress tracking spreadsheet with weekly goals

Foundation Phase (Months 1-3):

1. Master the Pinyin pronunciation system using an audio guide (Weeks 1-3)
2. Learn the first 150 characters and 150 words (HSK 1)
3. Study basic grammar patterns (20 core structures)
4. Start daily 15-minute character writing practice
5. Develop a daily 10-minute audio immersion habit during commute

Basic Conversation Phase (Months 4-6):

1. Expand vocabulary to 300 words (HSK 2)
2. Start weekly language exchange sessions (free, online)
3. Complete structured dialogues from the textbook series
4. Increase daily audio immersion to 30 minutes
5. Start reading simple graded readers

Intermediate Development Phase (Months 7-12):

1. Expand vocabulary to 600-1,000 words (HSK 3)
2. Hire an online tutor for conversation practice twice a month ($25/hour, total $600)
3. Start watching simple Chinese content with subtitles
4. Read intermediate graded readers regularly
5. Practice speaking by recording and self-critiquing

Advanced Fluency Phase (Months 13-18):

1. Expand vocabulary to 2,500 words (HSK 5 requirement)
2. Increase tutoring sessions to once a week (remaining period $1,200)
3. Consume native Chinese content daily (news, videos)
4. Participate in language exchange sessions 3 times a week
5. Practice full speeches on various topics
6. Complete an intensive grammar review focusing on complex structures

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