21 January 2008
WHAT IS TRIAL AND ERROR METHOD (methods available for dealing with reciprocal services in cost accounting)? EXPLAIN IT WITH A SUITABLE EXAMPLE.
12 February 2008
This approach is more successful with simple problems and is often resorted to when no apparent rule applies. This does not mean that the approach need be careless, for an individual can be methodical in manipulating the variables in an attempt to sort through possibilities that may result in success. Nevertheless, this method is often used by people who have little knowledge in the problem area.
Trial and error has traditionally been the main method of finding new drugs, such as antibiotics. Chemists simply try chemicals at random until they find one with the desired effect.
The scientific method can be regarded as containing an element of trial and error in its formulation and testing of hypotheses. Also compare genetic algorithms, simulated annealing and reinforcement learning - all varieties for search which apply the basic idea of trial and error.
Biological Evolution is a form of trial and error. Random mutations and sexual genetic variations can be viewed as trials and poor reproductive fitness as the error. Thus after a long 'knowledge' of well-adapted genomes accumulates simply by virtue of them being able to reproduce.
Bogosort can be viewed as a trial and error approach to sorting a list.
In mathematics the method of trial and error can be used to solve formulae - it is a slower, less precise method than algebra, but is easier to understand.