Algorithms are at the same time one of the simplest things in the world to understand and one of the most complicated. At the very core, algorithms are methods of solving problems. They are basically formulas for solving problems and they can have multiple steps. Algorithms are used for everything from data processing to deciphering barcodes to calculation tasks. There isn’t really a formal definition for algorithms that all of the world can agree on because some people insist a sequence can only be considered an algorithm if it stops eventually, but for others, it can only be an algorithm if it stops before a certain number of “steps.”
The most common place to find algorithms is in computers. Computers use special sequences to process information. These sequences, or algorithms, are predetermined and the computer follows the sequence in order to operate. Computer algorithms have to be very specific and contain no errors because computers are only able to do exactly what they are told so it follows that an algorithm filled with errors will cause a computer to crash or not operate properly.
Every single field of study contains algorithms because every field has problems that need solving. They’re also used for encryption and deciphering codes. There are different types of algorithms as well. Greedy algorithms are constructed not only to find a solution to a specific problem but a solution to any given problem at all. Brute force algorithms are designed to start at some random point and go through every single possibility until it finally finds a solution. Randomized algorithms refer to any algorithm that uses a random number to find answers. Branch and bound algorithms try to find solutions to problems by building a problem “sub tree” and then following the sub tree until it gets to the solution. Backtracking algorithms try to find a direct solution immediately and then “backtracks” to a simpler one. Divide and conquer algorithms combine branch and bound algorithm methods and backtracking algorithm methods to find a solution to the given problem.
Although it’s easy enough to know about the functions of algorithms, it can be very tricky to work with them, especially as they become more complicated and harder for the average person to decipher. Some people go to school specifically to tackle using algorithms because they can be so complicated.
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