| n. | 1. | a precise rule (or set of rules) specifying how to solve some problem; a set of procedures guaranteed to find the solution to a problem. |
| Noun | 1. | algorithm - a precise rule (or set of rules) specifying how to solve some problem Synonyms: algorithmic program, algorithmic rule |
| (algorithm, programming) | algorithm - A detailed sequence of actions to
perform to accomplish some task. Named after an Iranian
mathematician, Al-Khawarizmi. Technically, an algorithm must reach a result after a finite number of steps, thus ruling out brute force search methods for certain problems, though some might claim that brute force search was also a valid (generic) algorithm. The term is also used loosely for any sequence of actions (which may or may not terminate). Paul E. Black's Dictionary of Algorithms, Data Structures, and Problems. |