What is an Algorithm?

An algorithm is a process or a set of rules required to perform calculations or some other

problem-solving operations especially by a computer. The formal definition of an
algorithm is that it contains the finite set of instructions which are being carried in a
specific order to perform the specific task. It is not the complete program or code; it is
just a solution (logic) of a problem, which can be represented either as an informal
description using a Flowchart or Pseudocode.

Characteristics of an Algorithm
The following are the characteristics of an algorithm:

o Input: An algorithm has some input values. We can pass 0 or some input value to
an algorithm.
o Output: We will get 1 or more output at the end of an algorithm.
o Unambiguity: An algorithm should be unambiguous which means that the
instructions in an algorithm should be clear and simple.
o Finiteness: An algorithm should have finiteness. Here, finiteness means that the
algorithm should contain a limited number of instructions, i.e., the instructions
should be countable.
o Effectiveness: An algorithm should be effective as each instruction in an algorithm
affects the overall process.
o Language independent: An algorithm must be language-independent so that the
instructions in an algorithm can be implemented in any of the languages with the
same output.

Dataflow of an Algorithm

o Problem: A problem can be a real-world problem or any instance from the real-
world problem for which we need to create a program or the set of instructions.
The set of instructions is known as an algorithm.
o Algorithm: An algorithm will be designed for a problem which is a step by step
procedure.
 o Input: After designing an algorithm, the required and the desired inputs are
provided to the algorithm.
o Processing unit: The input will be given to the processing unit, and the processing
unit will produce the desired output.
o Output: The output is the outcome or the result of the program.

Why do we need Algorithms?

We need algorithms because of the following reasons:

o Scalability: It helps us to understand the scalability. When we have a big real-world

problem, we need to scale it down into small-small steps to easily analyze the
problem.
o Performance: The real-world is not easily broken down into smaller steps. If the
problem can be easily broken into smaller steps means that the problem is feasible.

Factors of an Algorithm
The following are the factors that we need to consider for designing an algorithm:

o Modularity: If any problem is given and we can break that problem into small-
small modules or small-small steps, which is a basic definition of an algorithm, it
means that this feature has been perfectly designed for the algorithm.
o Correctness: The correctness of an algorithm is defined as when the given inputs
produce the desired output, which means that the algorithm has been designed
algorithm. The analysis of an algorithm has been done correctly.
o Maintainability: Here, maintainability means that the algorithm should be
designed in a very simple structured way so that when we redefine the algorithm,
no major change will be done in the algorithm.
o Functionality: It considers various logical steps to solve the real-world problem.
o Robustness: Robustness means that how an algorithm can clearly define our
problem.
o User-friendly: If the algorithm is not user-friendly, then the designer will not be
able to explain it to the programmer.
 o Simplicity: If the algorithm is simple then it is easy to understand.
o Extensibility: If any other algorithm designer or programmer wants to use your
algorithm then it should be extensible.

Importance of Algorithms

1. Theoretical importance: When any real-world problem is given to us and we

break the problem into small-small modules. To break down the problem, we
should know all the theoretical aspects.
2. Practical importance: As we know that theory cannot be completed without the
practical implementation. So, the importance of algorithm can be considered as
both theoretical and practical.

Issues of Algorithms
The following are the issues that come while designing an algorithm:

o How to design algorithms: As we know that an algorithm is a step-by-step

procedure so we must follow some steps to design an algorithm.
o How to analyze algorithm efficiency

Approaches of Algorithm
The following are the approaches used after considering both the theoretical and
practical importance of designing an algorithm:

o Brute force algorithm: The general logic structure is applied to design an

algorithm. It is also known as an exhaustive search algorithm that searches all the
possibilities to provide the required solution. Such algorithms are of two types:
1. Optimizing: Finding all the solutions of a problem and then take out the
best solution or if the value of the best solution is known then it will
terminate if the best solution is known.
2. Sacrificing: As soon as the best solution is found, then it will stop.
o Divide and conquer: It is a very implementation of an algorithm. It allows you to
design an algorithm in a step-by-step variation. It breaks down the algorithm to
solve the problem in different methods. It allows you to break down the problem
 into different methods, and valid output is produced for the valid input. This valid
output is passed to some other function.
o Greedy algorithm: It is an algorithm paradigm that makes an optimal choice on
each iteration with the hope of getting the best solution. It is easy to implement
and has a faster execution time. But, there are very rare cases in which it provides
the optimal solution.
o Dynamic programming: It makes the algorithm more efficient by storing the
intermediate results. It follows five different steps to find the optimal solution for
the problem:
1. It breaks down the problem into a subproblem to find the optimal solution.
2. After breaking down the problem, it finds the optimal solution out of these
subproblems.
3. Stores the result of the subproblems is known as memorization.
4. Reuse the result so that it cannot be recomputed for the same subproblems.
5. Finally, it computes the result of the complex program.
o Branch and Bound Algorithm: The branch and bound algorithm can be applied
to only integer programming problems. This approach divides all the sets of
feasible solutions into smaller subsets. These subsets are further evaluated to find
the best solution.
o Randomized Algorithm: As we have seen in a regular algorithm, we have
predefined input and required output. Those algorithms that have some defined
set of inputs and required output, and follow some described steps are known as
deterministic algorithms. What happens that when the random variable is
introduced in the randomized algorithm?. In a randomized algorithm, some
random bits are introduced by the algorithm and added in the input to produce
the output, which is random in nature. Randomized algorithms are simpler and
efficient than the deterministic algorithm.
o Backtracking: Backtracking is an algorithmic technique that solves the problem
recursively and removes the solution if it does not satisfy the constraints of a
problem.

The major categories of algorithms are given below:

 o Sort: Algorithm developed for sorting the items in a certain order.
o Search: Algorithm developed for searching the items inside a data structure.
o Delete: Algorithm developed for deleting the existing element from the data
structure.
o Insert: Algorithm developed for inserting an item inside a data structure.
o Update: Algorithm developed for updating the existing element inside a data
structure.

Algorithm Analysis
The algorithm can be analyzed in two levels, i.e., first is before creating the algorithm, and
second is after creating the algorithm. The following are the two analysis of an algorithm:

o Priori Analysis: Here, priori analysis is the theoretical analysis of an algorithm which
is done before implementing the algorithm. Various factors can be considered
before implementing the algorithm like processor speed, which has no effect on
the implementation part.
o Posterior Analysis: Here, posterior analysis is a practical analysis of an algorithm.
The practical analysis is achieved by implementing the algorithm using any
programming language. This analysis basically evaluate that how much running
time and space taken by the algorithm.

Algorithm Complexity
The performance of the algorithm can be measured in two factors:

o Time complexity: The time complexity of an algorithm is the amount of time

required to complete the execution. The time complexity of an algorithm is
denoted by the big O notation. Here, big O notation is the asymptotic notation to
represent the time complexity. The time complexity is mainly calculated by
counting the number of steps to finish the execution. Let's understand the time
complexity through an example.

1. sum=0;
2. // Suppose we have to calculate the sum of n numbers.
3. for i=1 to n
4. sum=sum+i;
5. // when the loop ends then sum holds the sum of the n numbers
6. return sum;

In the above code, the time complexity of the loop statement will be atleast n, and if the
value of n increases, then the time complexity also increases. While the complexity of the
code, i.e., return sum will be constant as its value is not dependent on the value of n and
will provide the result in one step only. We generally consider the worst-time complexity
as it is the maximum time taken for any given input size.

o Space complexity: An algorithm's space complexity is the amount of space

required to solve a problem and produce an output. Similar to the time complexity,
space complexity is also expressed in big O notation.

For an algorithm, the space is required for the following purposes:

1. To store program instructions

2. To store constant values
3. To store variable values
4. To track the function calls, jumping statements, etc.

Auxiliary space: The extra space required by the algorithm, excluding the input size, is
known as an auxiliary space. The space complexity considers both the spaces, i.e., auxiliary
space, and space used by the input.

So,

Space complexity = Auxiliary space + Input size.

Types of Algorithms
The following are the types of algorithm:

o Search Algorithm
o Sort Algorithm

Search Algorithm
On each day, we search for something in our day to day life. Similarly, with the case of
computer, huge data is stored in a computer that whenever the user asks for any data
then the computer searches for that data in the memory and provides that data to the
user. There are mainly two techniques available to search the data in an array:

o Linear search
o Binary search

Linear Search

Linear search is a very simple algorithm that starts searching for an element or a value
from the beginning of an array until the required element is not found. It compares the
element to be searched with all the elements in an array, if the match is found, then it
returns the index of the element else it returns -1. This algorithm can be implemented on
the unsorted list.

Binary Search

A Binary algorithm is the simplest algorithm that searches the element very quickly. It is
used to search the element from the sorted list. The elements must be stored in sequential
order or the sorted manner to implement the binary algorithm. Binary search cannot be
implemented if the elements are stored in a random manner. It is used to find the middle
element of the list.

Sorting Algorithms
Sorting algorithms are used to rearrange the elements in an array or a given data structure
either in an ascending or descending order. The comparison operator decides the new
order of the elements.

Why do we need a sorting algorithm?

o An efficient sorting algorithm is required for optimizing the efficiency of other

algorithms like binary search algorithm as a binary search algorithm requires an
array to be sorted in a particular order, mainly in ascending order.
o It produces information in a sorted order, which is a human-readable format.
o Searching a particular element in a sorted list is faster than the unsorted list.