The Algorithm
While high-level languages use English words, they are still very different from a human language. This is because human languages can be ambiguous, but programming languages need to be very precise so the computer knows what to do. Computers are ultimately very simple (but fast) tools, so any instructions for them need to be very detailed and explicit to handle the complexities of the real world.
The Algorithm
An Algorithm is a set of step-by-step instructions to accomplish a task. You can describe these steps in English, and then write it more precisely in a programming language for a computer to understand.
Scenario
You just finished running a Skeeball Tournament and each person submitted their total score to you on a piece of paper. You asked your assistant to find the paper with the highest number so you can award the winner. He cannot think on his own, but he can follow instructions exactly. Please tell him a step-by-step procedure to find the largest number.
Challenge
To practice thinking about algorithms, please write 2-3 short steps to explain how to find the largest number in a group of unsorted numbers. This is just for practice, your answer will not be checked.
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