# If You Can't Solve a Problem Then There Is an Easier Problem You Can Solve Find It by George Pólya > "If you can't solve a problem, then there is an easier problem you can solve: find it." > **— George Pólya**, *1945, How to Solve It / problem-solving heuristic* ## Sources and Context - **Direct or authoritative source:** [How to Solve It / problem-solving heuristic](https://people.f4.htw-berlin.de/~weberwu/info2/Handouts/polya.html) — the linked page contains the quoted wording and supports the recorded attribution and occasion. ## Related Articles and Collections - **Collection:** [[collections/Simple Reminders|Simple Reminders]] - **Collection:** [[collections/Whole Earth|Whole Earth]] - **Article:** [[articles/The Ramanujan Mathematical Universe|The Ramanujan Mathematical Universe]] - **Article:** [[articles/The Hidden and Vital Role of Islam in the Evolution of Emergent Intelligence|The Hidden and Vital Role of Islam in the Evolution of Emergent Intelligence]] - **Article:** [[articles/The Greatest Transformation in Human History|The Greatest Transformation in Human History]] ## Related Topics - [[wiki/Mathematical Foundations|Mathematical Foundations]] ## Share on Social Media ``` "If you can't solve a problem, then there is an easier problem you can solve: find it." — George Pólya, 1945, How to Solve It / problem-solving heuristic https://bryantmcgill.com/simple-reminders-george-polya-solve-problem-easier-problem-solve ```