algoritmidega

An algorithm is a finite sequence of well-defined instructions that transforms input into output. It is deterministic, meaning that given the same input it produces the same result, and it must terminate after a finite number of steps. Algorithms are defined with specificity, ensuring each step is unambiguous and executable.

Historically, the concept predates computers but gained formal status with the work of Al-Khwarizmi (from whom the term "algorithm" originates) and later with formal models such as Turing machines and lambda calculus. Modern analysis uses complexity theory to measure resources, typically time and space, using Big-O notation.

Algorithms can be classified as deterministic or nondeterministic, and as iterative or recursive. Classic examples include sorting algorithms (quicksort, mergesort), search procedures (binary search), and graph algorithms (Dijkstra's, Bellman-Ford, BFS, DFS). The design of algorithms balances correctness, efficiency, and simplicity, and often uses data structures to organize inputs.

Applications span software development, data processing, cryptography, optimization, and artificial intelligence. Understanding algorithms is foundational in computer science, enabling scalable and reliable solutions. In Estonian, the word algoritmidega literally means with algorithms, indicating the instrumental plural used in phrases describing activities performed using algorithms.