PREFACE

        An algorithm is a sequence of unambiguous instructions for solving a computational problem, i.e., for obtaining a required output for any legitimate input in a finite amount of time.

Donald E. Knuth stated “Computer Science is the study of algorithms”. Programs will not exist without algorithms. They are the cornerstone of computer science.

Why to study this Course?

¢  Closely related to our lives

¢  Help to guide how others analyze and solve problems

¢  Help to develop the ability of analyzing and  solving problems via computers

¢  Very interesting if you can concentrate on this subject

Subject Prerequisite:

¢  Data Structure

¢  Discrete Mathematics

¢  C, C++, Java or other programming languages

¢  Advanced Mathematics

Algorithm: A brief History

¢  Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, one of the most influential mathematicians in 9th century in Baghdad, wrote a textbook in Arabic about adding, multiplying, dividing numbers, and extracting square roots and computing π.

¢  Many centuries later, decimal system was adopted in Europe, and the procedures in Al Khwarizmi’s book were named after him as “Algorithms”.

Expected Outcomes

¢  Student should be able to

—  Define algorithm formally and informally.

—  Explain the idea of different algorithms for the same problem

—  Describe the process of algorithm design and analysis

                                                                        Mehanaz Begum