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CSPC24 Chapter 1 - Introduction to Algorithms

The document provides an introduction to algorithms, defining them as finite sequences of instructions used to solve problems or perform computations. It outlines key properties of algorithms, various design techniques, and the importance of algorithmic problem solving in computer science. Additionally, it discusses the types of problems algorithms can solve, such as numerical, cryptographic, sorting, and graph problems, emphasizing the significance of understanding algorithms for effective problem solving.

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2 views

CSPC24 Chapter 1 - Introduction to Algorithms

The document provides an introduction to algorithms, defining them as finite sequences of instructions used to solve problems or perform computations. It outlines key properties of algorithms, various design techniques, and the importance of algorithmic problem solving in computer science. Additionally, it discusses the types of problems algorithms can solve, such as numerical, cryptographic, sorting, and graph problems, emphasizing the significance of understanding algorithms for effective problem solving.

Uploaded by

Mark Lester Orsal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CSPC 24

Algorithm and
Complexity
Introduction to Algorithms
Objectives
• Define and understand the meaning of algorithm.

• Identify and understand the different examples of


algorithm.

• Identify the kinds of problems solved by algorithms.

• Appreciate the importance of algorithmic problem


solving.
ALGORITHM
• In computer science it is a finite sequence of well-
defined, computer-implementable instructions, typically
to solve a class of problems or to perform a
computation.

• Always definite and are used as specifications for


performing calculations, data processing, automated
reasoning, and other tasks.
Every Algorithm must satisfy the
following properties:
• Input - There should be 0 or more inputs supplied
externally to the algorithm.
• Output - There should be at least 1 output obtained.
• Definiteness - Every step of the algorithm should be
clear and well defined.
• Finiteness – The algorithm should have finite number
of steps.
• Correctness – Every step of the algorithm must
generate a correct output.
EXAMPLE OF AN ALGORITHM
• One of the most obvious examples of an algorithm is a
recipe. It's a finite list of instructions used to perform a
task.

• One of the attributes of an algorithm is that, since it is a


list of instructions, there is some step-by-step process that
occurs in order.

• Let's say that you have a friend arriving at the airport, and
your friend needs to get from the airport to your house.
Fundamentals Of Algorithmic Problem
Solving
• Understanding the problem
• Ascertain the capabilities of the computational device
• Exact /approximate solution
• Decide on the appropriate data structure
• Algorithm design techniques
• Methods of specifying an algorithm
• Proving an algorithms correctness
• Analyzing an algorithm
Understanding The Problem
• An input to an algorithm specifies an instance of the
problem the algorithm solves.

• It is very important to specify exactly the set of


instances the algorithm needs to handle.
Ascertaining The Capabilities of The
Computational Device
• Majority of the algorithms can be programmed for a
computer closely resembling the von Neumann
machine.

• Algorithms designed to be executed on such


machines are called sequential algorithms.

• Algorithms that take advantage of concurrent execution


capability are called parallel algorithms.
Choosing Between Exact and Approximate
Problem Solving
• Exact algorithms are algorithms that always find the
optimal solution to a given optimization problem.

• Approximate algorithms are efficient algorithms that


find approximate solutions to optimization problems
(in particular NP-hard problems) with provable
guarantees on the distance of the returned solution
to the optimal one.
Decide On the Appropriate Data Structure

• Some algorithms do not demand any in-Genuity in


representing their inputs.

• Some others are in fact are predicted on ingenious data


structures.

• A data type is a well-defined collection of data with a


well-defined set of operations on it.
Algorithm Design Techniques

• A given problem can be solved in various different


approaches and some approaches deliver much more
efficient results than others.

• Algorithm analysis is a technique used to measure the


effectiveness and performance of the algorithms.
Main Algorithm Design Techniques

• Greedy algorithms
• Divide and conquer
• Dynamic Programming
• Randomized Algorithms
• Backtracking Algorithms
Methods Of Specifying an Algorithm

These are the two options that are most widely used
nowadays for specifying algorithms.

1. Pseudocode

2. Flowchart
Proving An Algorithms Correctness

• An important aspect of any algorithm is that it is


correct: it always produces the expected output for the
range of inputs and it eventually terminates.

• It's difficult to prove that an algorithm is correct.


Programmers often use empirical analysis to find faults
in an algorithm, but only formal reasoning can prove
total correctness.
Analyzing An Algorithm

• The determination of the amount of time and space


resources required to execute it.

• The efficiency or running time of an algorithm is stated


as a function relating the input length to the
number of steps, known as time complexity, or
volume of memory, known as space complexity.
A complete analysis of the running
time of an algorithm involves the
following steps:
• Implement the algorithm completely.
• Determine the time required for each basic operation.
• Identify unknown quantities that can be used to describe
the frequency of execution of the basic operations.
• Develop a realistic model for the input to the program.
• Analyze the unknown quantities, assuming the modeled
input.
• Calculate the total running time by multiplying
the time by the frequency for each operation, then
adding all the products.
Kinds of Problems Solved by Algorithms
• Basic numerical algorithms - concerned with basic arithmetic
problems like finding the sum, product or quotient of two numbers.
• Cryptographic algorithms - digitally sign and encrypt your
data when it’s sent over the internet and help protect you
from people spying on your data or stealing your identity.
• Sorting and searching algorithms - allow programmers to arrange
data in memory in many different ways so that specific pieces of data can
later be retrieved efficiently when they are needed.
• Signal processing algorithms - they are used to compress audio and
video data very efficiently and allow us to store a whole 3-hourUHD movie
on a single plastic disc, or stream it live over the internet.
Kinds of Problems Solved by Algorithms
• Graph algorithms - They are most successfully used for any kind of
problem where you need to find an efficient path through some kind of
network — be it a computer network, a road network, or something else.
• Computational geometry algorithms - are important in games and
are also heavily used in CAD software.
• Numerical analysis - simulate the physical behavior of their systems
and optimize them for performance before they are even built.
• Computer vision algorithms allow software to recognize features in
images, from your cellphone scanning a QR code all the way
to autonomous cars probing their environment with laser scanners.
• Rendering algorithms in computer graphics - generate more and
more photo-realistic images out of some artificial scene. Video games
and movies are the most spectacular uses, but there are many others.
Importance of Algorithms

• The more you know about algorithms, the better your


chances are of finding a good way to solve the problem.

• Understanding the process of building an algorithm


helps us build a strong foundation in logical thinking
and problem solving.

• The best-chosen algorithm makes sure computer will do


the given task at best possible manner.
Thank you!
REFERENCES:
Cormen T., Leiserson C., Rivest R., & Stein C. (2009). Introduction to Algorithms Third
Edition. The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusets
Fleck, Margaret M., (2013). Building Blocks for Theoretical Computer Science. Version
1.3 (January 2013)
Lehman, Eric F., Leighton, Thomson & Meyer, Albert R. (2018). Mathematics for
Computer Science. June 2018
ONLINE REFERENCES:
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/
http://www.freebookcentre.net/CompuScience/free-computer-algorithm-books.html

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