📘 What is an Algorithm?
Algorithm:
An algorithm is a finite sequence of
well-defined steps used to solve a
problem or perform a specific task.
An algorithm normally contains: Input → Processing → Decision → Output
📝 General Steps of an Algorithm
- Understand and define the problem.
- Identify the required input.
- Determine the expected output.
- Develop logical steps to solve the problem.
- Test the algorithm with sample data.
- Check the result and improve the solution.
💡 Example: Find the Largest Number
Suppose we have the following numbers:
25, 12, 45, 8, 63, 31
We want the computer to determine which number is the largest.
Expected Output: 63
⚙️ Algorithm Steps
- Start.
- Read the array of numbers.
- Assume the first number is the largest.
- Read the next number.
- Compare it with the current largest number.
- If it is greater, update the largest number.
- Continue until all numbers are checked.
- Display the largest number.
- Stop.
🧪 Interactive Algorithm Engine
Enter numbers below and watch the internal processing mechanism.
COMPUTER PROCESSING ENGINE
READY
INPUT MEMORY
—
Current number being read
from the array.
INDEX
—
TOTAL
—
PROCESSOR / CPU
WAITING
FOR INPUT
FOR INPUT
Comparison:
—
No decision yet
WORKING MEMORY
—
Current largest value stored
by the algorithm.
OLD
—
NEW
—
INPUT ARRAY / MEMORY CELLS
READ
→
COMPARE
→
DECIDE
→
UPDATE
→
NEXT
→
OUTPUT
Press
Start Engine
to begin internal processing.
🔍 What Happens Inside the Computer?
📥
1. READ
The CPU reads the next number
from input memory.
⚖️
2. COMPARE
The CPU compares the current
number with the largest value.
🧠
3. DECIDE
The processor decides whether
the largest value must change.
💾
4. UPDATE
If necessary, the new largest
value is stored in memory.
🔬 Internal Processing Example
INPUT MEMORY CPU PROCESSOR WORKING MEMORY
25 → READ 25 → —
|
↓
INITIALIZE
|
↓
25
|
↓
STORE
|
↓
25
12 → COMPARE → 25
12 > 25 ?
|
↓
NO
|
↓
KEEP 25
45 → COMPARE → 25
45 > 25 ?
|
↓
YES
|
↓
UPDATE
|
↓
45
63 → COMPARE → 45
63 > 45 ?
|
↓
YES
|
↓
UPDATE
|
↓
63
FINAL OUTPUT
63
📋 Pseudocode
BEGIN
INPUT array
largest = first element
FOR each number in array
IF number > largest THEN
largest = number
END IF
END FOR
OUTPUT largest
END
💻 JavaScript Implementation
function findLargest(numbers) {
let largest = numbers[0];
for (
let i = 1;
i < numbers.length;
i++
) {
if (numbers[i] > largest) {
largest = numbers[i];
}
}
return largest;
}
📊 Algorithm Complexity
Time Complexity
O(n)
Every number is checked once.
Space Complexity
O(1)
Only one main variable is required to store the largest value.