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What is an Algorithm?
Algorithms are the sequence of instructions that takes input, process the data, and produces the desired output.
In other words, algorithms are sets of well-defined instructions to solve a problem.
For example:
Algorithm to add two numbers:
- Take two numbers
- Add them using + operator
- Display output of two numbers
Characteristics of Good Algorithms:
- Input and Output should be well-defined.
- The algorithm should be clear and unambiguous.
- Algorithms should be most effective and optimized.
- The algorithm should be written in such a way that it can be used in different programming languages.
Examples of Algorithms
1. Sum of two Numbers
Step 1: Start
Step 2: Declare variables num1, num2, and sum.
Step 3: Read values num1 and num2.
Step 4: Add num1 and num2 and assign the result to the sum.
sum←num1+num2
Step 5: Display the sum
Step 6: Stop
2. Find the largest number among three numbers
Step 1: Start
Step 2: Declare variables num1, num2, and num3.
Step 3: Read variables num1, num2, and num3.
Step 4: If num1 > num2
If num1 > num3
Display num1 is the largest number.
Else
Display num3 is the largest number.
Else
If num2 > num3
Display num2 is the largest number.
Else
Display num3 is the greatest number.
Step 5: Stop
3. Find Root of the quadratic equation $$ ax^2 + bx + c = 0 $$
Step 1: Start
Step 2: Declare variables a, b, c, Discriminant, root and imaginary,root1, root2;
Step 3 : Read values of a,b,c;
Step 4: Calculate discriminant
Discriminant ← b*b-4*a*c
Step 5: If D ≥ 0
root1 ← (-b+√Discriminant)/2*a
root2 ← (-b-√Discriminant)/2*a
Display root1 and root2 as roots.
Else
Calculate real part and imaginary part
root ← -b/2*a
imaginary ← √(-Discriminant)/2*a
Display root+j(imaginary) and root-j(imaginary) as roots
Step 6: Stop
4. Find the factorial of a number
Step 1: Start
Step 2: Declare variables num, factorial and i.
Step 3: Initialize variables
factorial ← 1
i ← 1
Step 4: Read value of num
Step 5: Repeat the steps until i = num
factorial ← factorial*i
i ← i+1
Step 6: Display factorial
Step 7: Stop
5. Check whether a number is prime or not
Step 1: Start
Step 2: Declare variables num, i, flag.
Step 3: Initialize variables
flag ← 1
i ← 2
Step 4: Read num from the user.
Step 5: Repeat the steps until i=(num/2)
If remainder of num÷i equals 0
flag ← 0
Go to step 6
i ← i+1
Step 6: If flag = 0
Display num is not prime
else
Display num is prime
Step 7: Stop
6. Find the Fibonacci series till 1000
Step 1: Start
Step 2: Declare variables first_term,second_term and temp.
Step 3: Initialize variables first_term ← 0 second_term ← 1
Step 4: Display first_term and second_term
Step 5: Repeat the steps until second_term ≤ 1000
temp ← second_term
second_term ← second_term + first_term
first_term ← temp
Display second_term
Step 6: Stop