Rubber Duck Concept Check
Borrowed from software engineers: when you are stuck on a tough math, coding, or science problem, explain what the problem is asking and every step you've tried out loud to an object on your desk.
Forcing your brain to verbalize each assumption step-by-step usually reveals your faulty step before you even finish talking.
Staring silently at a broken equation or code block for 30 minutes while your brain loops the exact same wrong assumption.
- State out loud what the problem gives you and what final unit or output it wants.
- Walk through your attempt line by line: 'In step 1 I assumed X because...'
- Spot the exact line where your spoken logic sounds shaky and test that assumption.