General Use:
* The doctor used a heuristic approach to diagnose the patient's rare illness, relying on her experience and intuition rather than a strict protocol.
* In computer science, heuristics are often used to find approximate solutions to complex problems, especially when finding the exact solution is too time-consuming.
Specific Examples:
* The "rule of thumb" that says "red sky at night, sailor's delight" is a simple heuristic for predicting weather.
* The chess player used a heuristic to evaluate the board position and choose his next move, focusing on controlling the center of the board.
* The student used a heuristic to solve the math problem, breaking it down into smaller, more manageable steps.
More Formal:
* The research team developed a new heuristic algorithm for optimizing resource allocation in large-scale projects.
* The study found that people are more likely to use heuristics when making decisions under time pressure or with limited information.
The word "heuristic" can be used in a variety of contexts, but it generally refers to a mental shortcut, rule of thumb, or strategy that helps us solve problems or make decisions, even if it isn't guaranteed to be optimal or completely accurate.