1+++
 2title = "What is an algorithm?"
 3date = 2020-02-25T00:00:16+00:00
 4updated = 2020-03-18T09:51:02+00:00
 5+++
 6
 7Algorithms are a sequence of instructions that can be followed to achieve _something_. That something can be anything, and depends entirely on your problem!
 8
 9For example, a recipe to cook some really nice food is an algorithm: it guides you, step by step, to cook something nice. People dealing with mathemathics also apply algorithms to transform their data. And computers _love_ algorithms, too!
10
11In reality, any computer program can basically be thought as an algorithm. It contains a series of instructions for the computer to execute. Running them is a process that takes time, consumes input and produces output. This is also why terms like «procedure» come up when talking about them.
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13Computer programs (their algorithms) are normally written in some more specific language, like Java or Python. The instructions are very clear here, which is what we need! A natural language like English is a lot harder to process, and ambiguous. I’m sure you’ve been in arguments because the other person didn’t understand you!
14
15## References
16
17* algorithm – definition and meaning: [https://www.wordnik.com/words/algorithm](https://www.wordnik.com/words/algorithm)
18* Algorithm: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithm)
19* What is a «computer algorithm»?: [https://computer.howstuffworks.com/what-is-a-computer-algorithm.htm](https://computer.howstuffworks.com/what-is-a-computer-algorithm.htm)