Algorithm is a step-by-step procedure, which defines a set of instructions to be executed in a
certain order to get the desired output. Algorithms are generally created independent of
underlying languages, i.e. an algorithm can be implemented in more than one programming
language.
Algorithm is a step-by-step procedure, which defines a set of instructions to be executed in a
certain order to get the desired output. Algorithms are generally created independent of
underlying languages, i.e. an algorithm can be implemented in more than one programming
language. From the data structure point of view, following are some important categories of
algorithms –
Search − Algorithm to search an item in a data structure.
Sort − Algorithm to sort items in a certain order.
Insert − Algorithm to insert item in a data structure.
Update − Algorithm to update an existing item in a data structure.
Delete − Algorithm to delete an existing item from a data structure. Characteristics of an
Characteristics of an Algorithm
Algorithm Not all procedures can be called an algorithm. An algorithm should have the
following characteristics –
Unambiguous − Algorithm should be clear and unambiguous. Each of its steps (or phases), and
their inputs/outputs should be clear and must lead to only one meaning.
Input − An algorithm should have 0 or more well-defined inputs.
Output − An algorithm should have 1 or more well-defined outputs, and should match the
desired output.
Finiteness − Algorithms must terminate after a finite number of steps.
Feasibility − Should be feasible with the available resources.
, Independent − An algorithm should have step-by-step directions, which should be
independent of any programming code.
How to Write an Algorithm?
There are no well-defined standards for writing algorithms. Rather, it is problem and resource
dependent. Algorithms are never written to support a particular programming code. As we
know that all programming languages share basic code constructs like loops (do, for, while),
flow-control (if-else), etc. These common constructs can be used to write an algorithm. We
write algorithms in a step-by-step manner, but it is not always the case. Algorithm writing is a
process and is executed after the problem domain is well-defined. That is, we should know the
problem domain, for which we are designing a solution. Example Let's try to learn algorithm-
writing by using an example. Problem − Design an algorithm to add two numbers and display
the result.
step 1 − START
step 2 − declare three integers a, b & c
step 3 − define values of a & b
step 4 − add values of a & b
step 5 − store output of step 4 to c
step 6 − print c
step 7 − STOP
Algorithms tell the programmers how to code the program. Alternatively, the algorithm can be
written as –
step 1 − START ADD
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