[al-guh-rith-uh
m] 
| a set of rules for solving a problem in a finite number of steps, as for finding the greatest common divisor. |
| al·go·rithm (āl'gə-rĭth'əm) n. A step-by-step problem-solving procedure, especially an established, recursive computational procedure for solving a problem in a finite number of steps. [Variant (probably influenced by arithmetic) of algorism.] al'go·rith'mic (-rĭth'mĭk) adj., al'go·rith'mi·cal·ly adv. |
A set of instructions for solving a problem, especially on a computer. An algorithm for finding your total grocery bill, for example, would direct you to add up the costs of individual items to find the total.
algorithm al·go·rithm (āl'gə-rĭ&phonth;'əm)
n.
A step-by-step protocol, as for management of health care problems.
algorithm algorithm, programming
A detailed sequence of actions to perform to accomplish some task. Named after the Iranian, Islamic mathematician, astronomer, astrologer and geographer, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi.
Technically, an algorithm must reach a result after a finite number of steps, thus ruling out brute force search methods for certain problems, though some might claim that brute force search was also a valid (generic) algorithm. The term is also used loosely for any sequence of actions (which may or may not terminate).
Paul E. Black's Dictionary of Algorithms, Data Structures, and Problems.
(2002-02-05)
