University M’hamed Bougara-Boumerdes
Faculty of Sciences
IT departement
Algorithm 1
Course notes
Directed By :
Benabderrezak Youcef
-Phd student in Cyber security and future Pr-
y.brnabderrezak@univ-boumerdes.dz
Telegram : https://t.me/infoumbb1
2023 / 2024
Table of contents
1. What is an Algorithm ? ..............................................................................................3
2. Caracteristics of an algorithm ....................................................................................3
3. The basics of an Algorithm ........................................................................................5
3.1. Basic structure .....................................................................................................5
3.2. variables and constants........................................................................................5
3.3. Integers ................................................................................................................5
3.4. Floats / double .....................................................................................................6
3.5. Caracters ..............................................................................................................6
3.6. chain of characters (String) .................................................................................6
3.7. Comments............................................................................................................7
4. Conditions ..................................................................................................................8
4.1. If statement.............................................................................................................8
4.2. If-else statement ..................................................................................................8
4.3. Switch statement .................................................................................................9
5. Loops ........................................................................................................................11
5.1. For loop ................................................................................................................11
5.2. While loop .........................................................................................................12
5.3. Do-while loop ....................................................................................................13
6. Arrays .......................................................................................................................14
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6.2. One-dimensional (1-D) arrays ..........................................................................15
6.3. Two-dimensional (2-D) arrays ..........................................................................17
7. Functions ..................................................................................................................22
7.1. workflow of program when call afunction .......................................................24
7.2. Example of functions ........................................................................................25
7.3. Exercices ...........................................................................................................27
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1. What is an Algorithm ?
An algorithm is a set of instructions or a step-by-step procedure for solving a
problem or performing a specific task.
It is a well-defined, finite sequence of computational steps that takes some input
and produces an output
Algorithms are used in a wide range of applications, including computer programming,
mathematics, engineering, and data analysis. They are essential for solving complex
problems, processing large amounts of data, and automating tasks.
2. Caracteristics of an algorithm
In order for some instructions to be an algorithm, it must have the following
characteristics:
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1. Well-Defined Inputs: If an algorithm asks for inputs, it should clearly state what
inputs it needs, and they should make sense.
2. Well-Defined Outputs: The algorithm must clearly say what output it will
produce, and it should be a sensible and well-defined result.
3. Finite-ness: The algorithm should have a clear endpoint, and it should not go on
forever.
4. Feasible: The algorithm should be practical and able to be executed with the
resources available.
5. Language Independent: The algorithm should be able to be understood and
implemented in any programming language.
6. Clear and unambiguous : refer to instructions or descriptions in an algorithm
that are easy to understand and do not have any ambiguity or confusion in their
meaning.
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3. The basics of an Algorithm
3.1. Basic structure
Algorithm Name;
2. declaration of variables and constants
3. Statement of Duties
4. Start
5. …..
6. List of instructions
7. ………..
8. End.
3.2. variables and constants
In programming, variables and constants are used to store and manipulate data.
The main difference between them is that variables can be changed during the
execution of the program, while constants cannot
3.3. Integers
An integer is a data type that represents whole numbers (positive, negative, or
zero) without any fractional or decimal parts.
// Algorithm 1
int main() {
int number_1= 42; // declare an integer variable named x and initialize it with the value 42
printf("The value of my number is %d\n", number_1); // print the value of x to the console
return 0; }
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3.4. Floats / double
the float data type is used to represent floating-point numbers, which are
numbers with both integer and fractional parts
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
float number_2= 3.14; // Declare a float variable named number_2 and assign it the value 3.14
printf("The value of f is %f\n", number_2); // Print the value of number_2 to the console
return 0;
3.5. Caracters
characters (chars) are used to represent individual characters, such as letters,
digits, symbols, or special characters
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
char c = 'A'; // Declare a char variable named c and assign it the character 'A'
printf("The value of c is %c\n", c); // Print the value of c to the console
return 0;
3.6. chain of characters (String)
A sequence of characters, typically referred to as a "string," is a fundamental
data type in programming that represents a collection of characters.
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#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
char str[] = "Hello, world!"; // Declare a character array and initialize it with the string "Hello,
world!"
printf("The string is: %s\n", str); // Print the string to the console
return 0;
3.7. Comments
comments are used to add explanatory notes or remarks within the source code.
Comments are ignored by the compiler and are not executed as part of the
program.
They serve as documentation for developers, making the code more readable and
understandable
3.7.1. Single-line comments
// This is a single-line comment
int x = 42; // Assigning a value to variable x
3.7.2. Multi-line comments
/*
This is a multi-line comment.
It can extend over several lines.
*/
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4. Conditions
Conditions, also known as conditional statements or control structures
are used in programming to make decisions based on certain conditions
4.1. If statement
The if statement is used to execute a block of code if a specified condition is
true
It has the following structure:
if (condition) {
// code to execute if the condition is true
Here’s an example
int x = 5;
if (x > 0) {
printf("x is positive\n"); // this message is displayed only when the value of x is greater than of 0
4.2. If-else statement
The if-else statement extends the if statement to provide an alternative block of
code to execute when the condition is false.
It has the following structure:
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if (condition) {
// code to execute if the condition is true
} else {
// code to execute if the condition is false
Here’s an example
int x = -2; // Declare and initialize the variable x with the value -2
if (x > 0) {
printf("x is positive\n"); // Print a message if x is greater than 0
} else {
printf("x is non-positive\n"); // Print a message if x is not greater than 0
4.3. Switch statement
The switch statement is used to perform different actions based on different
possible values of a variable.
It has the following structure:
switch (expression) {
case value1:
// code to execute if expression matches value1
break;
case value2:
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// code to execute if expression matches value2
break;
// more cases
default:
// code to execute if expression does not match any case
Here’s an example :
int day = 2; // Declare and initialize the variable day with the value 2
switch (day) {
case 1:
printf("Monday\n"); // If day equals 1, print "Monday"
break;
case 2:
printf("Tuesday\n"); // If day equals 2, print "Tuesday"
break;
case 3:
printf("Wednesday\n"); // If day equals 3, print "Wednesday"
break;
default:
printf("Other day\n"); // If day does not match any case, print "Other day"
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5. Loops
Loops are used in programming to repeat a block of code multiple times, allowing
for efficient and repetitive execution of tasks.
In most programming languages, there are mainly three types of loops: for loop,
while loop, and do-while loop.
5.1. For loop
The for loop is used to repeatedly execute a block of code a specified number
of times.
It has the following structure:
for (initialization; condition; increment/decrement) {
// code to be executed in each iteration
Here’s an example
for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) { // the value of i start from 1 to 5 and the step is 1
printf("Hello world"); // Print « Hello world » 5 times
Here’s another example
for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) { // the value of i start from 1 to 5 and the step is 1 (i = 1,2,3, 4,5)
printf("Iteration %d\n", i); // Print the current value of i in each iteration (1,2,3, 4,5)
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In this example, the loop will execute five times.
It initializes the variable « i » with 1, and as long as « i » is less than or equal 5 ;
it executes the code block and increments i by 1 in each iteration.
Here’s another example
for (int i = 1; i <= 10; i=i+2) { // the value of i start from 1 to 10 and the step is 2 (i= 1,3,5,7,9)
printf("Iteration %d\n", i); // Print the current value of i in each iteration (1,3,5,7,9)
5.2. While loop
The while loop is used to repeatedly execute a block of code as long as a
condition is true.
It has the following structure:
while (condition) {
// code to be executed in each iteration
Here’s an example
int i = 0; // declare a variable « i » and initialized with « 0 »
while (i < 5) {
printf("Iteration %d\n", i); // print the value of « i »
i++;
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In this example, the loop will execute five times.
It initializes the variable « i » with 0, and as long as « i » is less than 5 it executes
the code block, prints the current value of i, and increments i by 1 in each
iteration.
The output will be the same as the for loop example. (example N°2)
5.3. Do-while loop
The do-while loop is used to repeatedly execute a block of code at least once, and
then continue execution as long as a condition is true.
It has the following structure:
do {
// code to be executed in each iteration
} while (condition);
Here’s an example
int i = 0;
do {
printf("Iteration %d\n", i);
i++;
} while (i < 5);
In this example, the loop will execute five times.
It initializes the variable i with 0, executes the code block, prints the current value
of i, and increments i by 1. The loop continues as long as i is less than 5
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6. Arrays
Arrays are data structures in programming used to store a collection of elements
of the same type.
They provide a way to group related data items under a single name.
In C, arrays are declared with a fixed size and are indexed starting from 0.
Here's an example of declaring and using an array in C:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
// Declare an array of integers with a size of 5
int numbers[5] = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10};
// Access and print individual elements of the array
printf("Element at index 0: %d\n", numbers[0]); // print 2
printf("Element at index 2: %d\n", numbers[2]); // print 6
// Modify an element of the array
numbers[3] = 12;
printf("Modified element at index 3: %d\n", numbers[3]);
return 0;
In this example, we declare an array named "numbers" that can store five
integers. The array is initialized with the values 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10.
The elements of the array are accessed using their indices, starting from 0.
We use the printf function to print the values of individual array elements.
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6.2. One-dimensional (1-D) arrays
One-dimensional arrays, also known as simple arrays or vectors, are arrays that
store elements in a single row or a single column.
Manipulate 1-D arrays
1. Initializing an array
int numbers[5] = {2, 4, 6, 8, 10}; // integer array named "numbers" that can store five
elements
2. Accessing array elements
int x = numbers[0]; // Access the element at index 0
3. Modifying array elements
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numbers[2] = 12; // Modify the value of element at index 2, from « 8 » to « 12 »
4. Looping through an array
This loops through the array and prints each element.
It starts from index 0 and continues until index 4 (inclusive).
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
printf("%d ", numbers[i]);
5. Finding the maximum or minimum value in an array
int max = numbers[0];
int min = numbers[0];
for (int i = 1; i < 5; i++) {
if (numbers[i] > max) {
max = numbers[i];
if (numbers[i] < min) {
min = numbers[i];
This iterates through the array and compares each element with the current maximum
and minimum values, updating them if a larger maximum or smaller minimum value is
found.
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6.3. Two-dimensional (2-D) arrays
Two-dimensional arrays, also known as matrices or grids
Are arrays that store elements in a tabular form with rows and columns with the
same type (int, float, char, ....)
the following figure illustrates the difference between a one-dimensional array and a two-
dimensional array:
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Manipulate 2-D arrays
1. Initializing 2-D array
int matrix[3][4] = { {2, 4, 6, 8},{1, 3, 5, 7},{10, 20, 30, 40} };
This initializes a 2D array named "matrix" with the given values
Column 0 Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Row 1 2 4 6 8
Row 2 1 3 5 7
Row 3 10 20 30 40
2. Accessing array element
int element = matrix[1][2]; // Access the element at row 1, column 2 ( its value 5)
3. Modifying array element
matrix[2][3] = 50; // Modify the element at row 2, column 3
Then the new matrice values
Column 0 Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Row 1 2 4 6 8
Row 2 1 3 5 7
Row 3 10 20 30 50
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4. Looping through array 2-D
for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) { // loop to traverse all rows , row by row
for (int j = 0; j < 4; j++) {
printf("%d ", matrix[i][j]); // loop to traverse all columns ,one by one
printf("\n");
This nested loop iterates through the 2D array and prints each element.
It traverses each row and column of the array.
5. Finding the sum of all elements in a 2D array
int sum = 0; // Variable to store the sum of elements
for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
for (int j = 0; j < 4; j++) {
sum += matrix[i][j]; // Add the element at current row and column to the sum
// sum += matrix[i][j] is equivalent to sum =som + matrix[i][j];
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Exerices
Exercise 1: Find the maximum of two integers
Exercise 2: Find the minimum of two integers
Exercise 3: Check if a number is even or odd
Exercise 4: Calculate the sum of digits in a number
Exercise 5: Calculate the average of three floating-point numbers
Exercise 6: Check if a character is a vowel or consonant
Exercise 7: Concatenate two strings
Exercise 8: Check if a string is a palindrome
Exercise 9: Find the factorial of a number
Exercise 10: Calculate the power of a number
Exercise 11: Check if a year is a leap year
Exercise 12: Check if a number is prime
Exercise 13: Print the Fibonacci sequence
Exercise 14: Swap two variables using a temporary variable
Exercise 15: Swap two variables without using a temporary variable
Exercise 16: Print the multiplication table of a number
Exercise 17: Print a pattern using nested loops
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Exercise 18: Find the largest element in a 1D array
Exercise 19: Find the smallest element in a 1D array
Exercise 20: Calculate the sum of elements in a 1D array
Exercise 21: Find the transpose of a 2D array
Exercise 22: Multiply two matrices
Exercise 23: Find the sum of elements in each row of a 2D array
Exercise 24: Find the sum of elements in each column of a 2D array
Exercise 25: Check if a 2D array is symmetric
Exercise 26: Rotate a 2D array by 90 degrees
Exercise 27: Find the largest element in a 2D array
Exercise 28: Find the smallest element in a 2D array
Exercise 29: Calculate the sum of elements in a 2D array
Exercise 30: Check if a 2D array is a magic square
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7. Functions
Functions in programming are blocks of reusable code that perform a specific
task.
They allow you to break down complex problems into smaller, more
manageable parts.
Functions can take input parameters, perform operations, and return results.
Functions are declared with :
1. A return type
2. A name
3. Optionally, parameters.
The general syntax for function declaration is as follows :
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The general syntax for function definition is as follows :
Here's an example of a simple function that calculates the square of a number:
#include <stdio.h>
int square(int num) {
int result = num * num;
return result;
int main() {
int x = 5;
int square_x = square(x);
printf("The square of %d is %d\n", x, square_x);
return 0;
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In this example, we declare a function named square that takes an integer
parameter num.
Inside the function, we calculate the square of num and store it in the variable
result.
Finally, we use the return statement to send the result back to the calling code.
In the main function, we define a variable x and assign it the value 5.
We then call the square function, passing x as an argument.
The returned result is stored in the variable square_x, and we print the output.
7.1. workflow of program when call afunction
When a function is called in a program, the program follows a specific workflow
to execute the function and return to the point of the function call.
Here's a general overview of the workflow:
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7.2. Example of functions
1. Function to find the maximum of two integers
#include <stdio.h>
int findMax(int a, int b) {
if (a > b) { // Check if a is greater than b
return a; // Return a if it is greater
} else {
return b; // Otherwise, return b
int main() {
int x = 5; // Define variable 'x' and assign value 5
int y = 8; // Define variable 'y' and assign value 8
// Call the 'findMax' function with 'x' and 'y' as arguments and store the returned value in 'max'
int max = findMax(x, y);
// Print the values of 'x', 'y', and 'max'
printf("The maximum of %d and %d is %d\n", x, y, max);
return 0;
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2. Function to calculate the average of three floating-point numbers
#include <stdio.h>
float calculateAverage(float num1, float num2, float num3) {
// Calculate the average of the three numbers
float average = (num1 + num2 + num3) / 3.0;
return average; // Return the average value
int main() {
float a = 2.5; // Define variable 'a' and assign value 2.5
float b = 3.75; // Define variable 'b' and assign value 3.75
float c = 4.25; // Define variable 'c' and assign value 4.25
float avg = calculateAverage(a, b, c); // Call the 'calculateAverage' function with
'a', 'b', and 'c' as arguments and store the returned value in 'avg'
printf("The average is %.2f\n", avg); // Print the value of 'avg' with 2 decimal places
return 0;
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7.3. Exercices
1. Write a function to calculate the square of a number.
2. Write a function to calculate the cube of a number.
3. Write a function to calculate the factorial of a number.
4. Write a function to check if a number is prime.
5. Write a function to find the maximum of three numbers.
6. Write a function to find the minimum of three numbers.
7. Write a function to reverse a given string.
8. Write a function to check if a string is a palindrome.
9. Write a function to count the number of vowels in a string.
10. Write a function to count the number of words in a string.
11. Write a function to find the length of a string.
12. Write a function to convert a string to uppercase.
13. Write a function to convert a string to lowercase.
14. Write a function to calculate the sum of an integer array.
15. Write a function to find the average of an integer array.
16. Write a function to find the maximum element in an integer array.
17. Write a function to find the minimum element in an integer array.
18. Write a function to reverse an integer array.
19. Write a function to check if two arrays are equal.
20. Write a function to sort an integer array in ascending order.
21. Write a function to sort an integer array in descending order.
22. Write a function to find the transpose of a matrix.
23. Write a function to add two matrices.
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24. Write a function to subtract two matrices.
25. Write a function to multiply two matrices.
26. Write a function to check if a matrix is symmetric.
27. Write a function to find the sum of the diagonal elements of a matrix.
28. Write a function to find the product of two numbers using recursion.
29. Write a function to calculate the Fibonacci sequence up to a given limit.
30. Write a function to convert a decimal number to binary.
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