Algorithm

A step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or accomplishing a task.

Definition

An algorithm is a finite sequence of well-defined, computer-implementable instructions to solve a class of problems or to perform a computation.

Properties

• Finiteness: Must terminate after a finite number of steps
• Definiteness: Each step must be precisely defined
• Effectiveness: Operations must be sufficiently basic
• Input/Output: Takes input and produces output

Related Concepts

• Recursion