A VERY SIMPLE INTRODUCTION TO ALGORITHIMS

ABSTRACT: This introduction is so simple as to encourage one to “just get into the door.” Algorithms takes numerous  scattered numbers and arrange them so that there is a nearly flawless step by step sequence so that it helps to arrange numbers to solve problems  and also helps make some decisions along the way.

INTRODUCTION: In this author’s real life an algorithm was a math formula that the author could bluff students and fellow faculty into believing that he understood the term. He did not.

Then this person came across an article in the ECONOMIST (“Business by the numbers” 2007/ 7/13) on what was an algorithm. However, information was given. but it was too complicated. So the author rewrote it and simplified it on the basis that one sentence or two could do the job. (Algorithms/ socialvibes.net) It was still unsettling to non-math people including the author.

Algorithms explained from socialvibes.net remained the number one entry on Google for a couple of years. However, it was still too complicated.

In the meantime, I asked a number of academics what is an” algorithm?” I got all kinds of answers save the correct one. Alas, it was time to START to explain what algorithms do.

DEFINITION: an “algorithm” can take a lot of JUMBLED numbers; order them in proper order in a step by step sequence. Thus Fred’s Delivery Service has a series of stops. If the 5 stops (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) are slightly out of order, the whole thing is out of order.

Fred’s Delivery Service now has 5 stops that will make things easier, faster, and more profitable to Fred and please customers. The algorithm formula makes sure that various homes of stops are arranged with cunning efficiency.

However, you can do the following. Take 1, 2,3,4,5, and reverse them. So 5x4x3x2x1=120. Then after you have reversed the numbers, take every other number and double it.

So number 5 is out of the picture. Every other number is 4 and the next every other number is 2. With each one doubles them. You get 12 (4 plus 8 is 12). So then, you take 12 and divide into the 120 as listed above. So 10 are in the sequence as if all 5 stops by Fred are efficient and acceptable. It is ALMOST like each stop is 2 (5 stops into 10) which would mean that the delivery is at 5 houses all next to each other. That is really good.

REFERENCES:

__________ ECONOMIST,”Business by the Numbers” September7/15/ 2002

Snell, Joel Algorithms/ Social Vibes.net

__________Algorithms/ Wikipedia