Algorithm

An algorithm is a finite sequence of clearly defined steps that solves a class of problems. From a cooking recipe to a search engine – wherever a problem is solved systematically and reproducibly, there is an algorithm behind it.

Properties

• Unambiguity: Each step is precisely defined.
• Finiteness: The procedure terminates after finitely many steps.
• Determinism: Identical inputs yield identical outputs.
• Generality: It solves an entire class of problems, not just one case.

Importance in computer science

Algorithms are the heart of every computer program. Their efficiency – how much time and memory they require – is assessed through complexity analysis.