Algorithm
Development
What is an Algorithm
• It is the set of logical steps you will apply to solve a problem.
• An algorithm is expected to have the following characteristics:
• Algorithm steps should be clear and decisive.
• After a certain number of steps, the algorithm should end.
• Algorithms should be general enough to handle all possibilities.
1- Analyze the problem
• You must understand exactly what you need to do.
• “Understanding a problem is half-solving it.”
• Given a problem,
• you should identify the problem inputs, that is, the data you need to work with;
• outputs, that is, the desired results;
• any additional requirements or constraints on the solution,
• required format in which the results should be displayed (for example, as a
table with specific column headings) and
• a list of problem variables and their relationships (in terms of formulas).
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1- Analyze the problem
• Problem: Given a distance in meters and the speed of a car in
miles per hour (mph), calculate how many minutes it will take
for that car to travel that distance.
• Inputs: distance (in meters)
speed (in mph)
• Output: time (in minutes)
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1- Analyze the problem
• Develop a list of formulas that specifies relationships between
them.
time = distance / speed
• We need to calculate the distance in miles. 1 mile is 1.609344 km,
thus 1609.344 meters. So:
distance in miles = distance in meters / 1609.344
• Notice also that, we are required to calculate the time in minutes
time in minutes = time in hours x 60
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2- Develop an algorithm
• Real life Examples:
• A recipe to prepare a meal
• list of ingredients and
• step by step instructions
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Pseudocode
• Pseudocode: fake code
• Informal language that has no syntax rule
• Not meant to be compiled or executed
• Used to create model program
• No need to worry about syntax errors, can focus on program’s design
• Can be translated directly into actual code in any programming language
Algorithm
Start
Example 1
Enter first number
(a)
• Algorithm to print which of the two
Enter second number
entered number is smaller: (b)
if a < b print “First number is smaller”
if not a < b print “Second number is smaller”
End
Star
t
a, b
Flow Chart
a<
b Yes
(Ex. 1)
No
b is a is
smaller smaller
End
Algorithm
Start
Example 2
Enter first number
(a)
• Algorithm that calculates the Enter second number
(b)
average of two entered numbers:
Find summation of the two numbers and assign the
result to the sum (sum = a + b)
A5 Divide the sum by 2 and assign the result to the average
(average = sum / 2)
Print average
End
Star
t
a, b
sum = a +
Flow Chart b
(Ex. 2) average = sum /
2
average
End
Pseudocode Example
• Problem: Display Unsuccessful if the average of two
grades is less than 50, Successful otherwise
Input grade1, grade2
average = (grade1 + grade2) / 2
if (average < 50)
Output “Unsuccessful”
else
Output “Successful”
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Algorithm
Example 3 Start
Enter a number
(number)
• Algorithm that prints whether an
entered number is positive or if number = 0 repeat A2
negative:
if number < 0, print “the entered number is negative” and
end the program
if number > 0, print “the entered number is positive”
End
Start
num
Yes
num =
Flow Chart 0
No
(Ex. 3) num <
0
No
num is
positive
Yes
num is
negative
End
Start
b, h
Flow Chart a=
(Ex. 4) b*h/2
End
Algorithm
Example 4 Start
Enter the base (b)
• Algorithm that calculates the area of
a triangle using a side length and Enter the height (h)
height of that side:
A4 Multiply the base by the height and divide by 2 and assign
the result to a (a=b*h/2)
Print a
End
Algorithm
Example 5 Start
Enter midterm grade (mt)
• Algorithm that calculates the
average of a student's midterm Enter final grade (fin)
grade and final grade (calculate by
taking 30% of the midterm grade A4 Take 30% of the midterm grade, 70% of the final grade and
and 70% of the final grade): add the two together and assign the result to the average
(average=0.3*mt+0.7*fin)
Print average
End
Start
mt
fin
Flow Chart
(Ex. 5) average = 0.3*mt +
0.7*fin
average
End
Algorithm
Example 6 Start
Enter radius (r)
• Algorithm for calculating the
circumference and area of a circle Take pi as 3.14
using radius (take pi as 3.14):
A4 Multiply the radius by the number of Pi and double it and
assign it to the circumference (circumference = 2*pi*r)
Multiply the pi by the square of the radius and assign to
the area (area = pi*r*r)
Print circumference and area
End
Start
pi =
3.14
Flow Chart circumference =
2*pi*r
(Ex. 6) area =
pi*r*r
circumference
, area
End
Start
num = 0
Flow Chart Yes
num >
999
(Ex. 7) num = num +
No
num
End
Algorithm
Example 7
Start
• Algorithm to print numbers from 1
assign zero value to number
to 1000:
if number is greater than 999 end the
program
If not add 1 to number and assign result to number again (number =
number+1)
Print number and repeat A3
End
Algorithm Example
8
Start
• Algorithm that converts an angle
Enter the angle in degrees (d)
entered in degrees to Radians and
Gradians:
A3 multiply the entered angle by the number pi, divide by 180 and
assign to the radian (r=d*pi/180)
A4 multiply the entered angle by 200, divide by the number pi and assign to the
grad (g=d*200/pi)
Print radian and grad
End
Start
Flow Chart
(Ex. 8)
End
