Everyday Algorithms

Definition:

An algorithm is a specific set of steps to solve a problem or create a product.

When we say "product" we don't necessarily mean a physical item that you could purchase in a store. A product can also be an answer or invention, or something new like a piece of software.

Using this definition, we can say that an algorithm has the following features:

1. Two people following the same algorithm must arrive at the same solution. If I follow an algorithm and get the answer "42", and you follow the same algorithm and get the answer "1,456,901" then either the algorithm is not clear enough or one of us made a mistake. An algorithm must be specific and unambiguous. Anyone with an adequate education and understanding of knowledge should use the same algorithm to come to the same conclusion.
2. The algorithm must solve a problem or create a product. It can't go on forever. For example, creating an algorithm to find the largest integer number is impossible. We know that the set of integers is infinite, so any attempt to find the largest one will fail. There can be no such algorithm.

You might not realize it, but we use algorithms every day. Thinking through the definition above, decide which of the following items could be considered an algorithm. When you are done, click the "Submit" button to see how you did.

	A cookbook recipe		The steps to average a given list of numbers
	A letter or e-mail to your parents telling them what you did last week		The steps to change the tire on your car
	A picture of your girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, or wife		Instructions on how to strengthen your biceps
	A way to catalog of all the stars in the universe		Method to calculate your GPA (Grade Point Average)