These types of representations are often used to make difficult problems easier.<ref>Vlamings, Petra H. J. M., Hare, Brian, & Call, Joseph. Reaching around barriers: The performance of great apes and 3-5-year-old children. Animal Cognition, 13, 273-285. doi: 10.1007/s10071-009-0265-5</ref> They can
be a strategy used on tests as a strategy to remove ''Irrelevant Information,'' which is one of the most common forms of barriers when discussing the issues of problem solving.<ref>Kellogg, R. T. (2003). Cognitive psychology (2nd ed.). California: Sage Publications, Inc.</ref>Identifying crucial information presented in a problem and then being able to correctly identify its usefulness is essential. Being aware of ''Irrelevant Information'' is the first step in overcoming this common barrier.
