advantages and disadvantages of algorithms?

Question

I've got to do a 500 word essay on what algorithms are, 3 examples of algorithms and advantages and disadvantages of algorithms.
I've been searching now for 2 days on the internet and found nothing.
PLEASE HELP :(

Answer 1

An algorithm is just a defined procedure for doing something, i.e. "a step-by-step procedure for ...". Algorithm generally but not necessarily implies some sort of repetition to obtain a solution that wasn't obvious, or which could not be obtained in a more direct way.



For example, consider the rule (algorithm) "when you come to a junction, keep right," which is useful for solving some mazes. It is completely useless for solving many mazes, and usually, you don't know what kind of maze you are dealing with, until it has been previously solved. This might be considered a disadvantage of algorithms ... they are often used where they are not valid.

Answer 2

There are no (dis)advantages of algorithms.



The concept of an advantage or disadvantage only makes sense when there is an alternate way of accomplishing the same goal. But there is no alternative to algorithms.



You can of course compare multiple types of algorithms designed to do the same thing. But I figure wikipedia will be of much greater help there than yahoo answers.

Answer 3

Different algorithms work better/worse depending on the initial state of the data you're working with. Check out the link below. It allows you to see which algorithms perform best depending on different initial states of a list.



Pick a bigger number (at the top) since the default size is too small to get a feel for how inefficient some are. Example, bubble sort is TERRIBLE of you try to sort a list that mostly reversed.

Answer 4

Some Sorting Algos:

Bubble Sort

Insertion Sort

Merge Sort

Quicksort



Some Graphing Algos:

Kruskal's Algo

Prim's Algo

Dijkstra's Algo



Use wiki/text book/notes/internet to do the research on what each of these algos do, as it is your homework