Basic concepts

Basic concepts regarding algorithm

What it is an algorithm?

According to Paul E. Black (paul.black@nist.gov) an algorithm is "Computable set of steps you achieve desired result". It is more or less like a cake recipe that describes step by step how to make cake.

What are sequential algorithms?

Sequential algorithms are ways to solve a problem through a well defined sequence of steps that have to be executed in a predetermined order by only a person. In a computation case, for a computer with only one processor. This is the case of the absolute majority of the computers that exist today.

Figure: In a sequential algorithm only a person is following the receipt at a specific moment.

One other category of algorithms is the parallel ones. They are similar to sequential algorithms, however they can be executed by more than a person at the same time or, in the case of computation, by a computer with more than one processor. These algorithms are special because they cannot allow that a person intervenes with the work of the other or, in the computation case, that a processor confuses the work being carried out by the other processor.