When Jake made educated guesses about his broken boat motor, he was likely employing which problem-solving method?

Using educated guesses suggests that Jake was leveraging heuristics as a problem-solving method. Heuristics are mental shortcuts or rules of thumb that simplify decision-making and problem-solving processes. When faced with an issue like a broken boat motor, applying heuristics allows one to make quick judgments based on prior experiences or knowledge, rather than following a strict, systematic approach.

In contrast, an algorithm would require a set, step-by-step procedure to reach a solution, which may not be practical in a situation where problem details are unclear or variable. Trial and error involves testing various solutions until finding one that works, which can be time-consuming and may not suit the context of the mechanical problem at hand. Data analysis implies a thorough examination and interpretation of specific data sets, which isn't directly applicable to forming educated guesses in an exploratory context. Hence, the approach Jake used aligns most closely with heuristics, making it the most suitable choice for this scenario.