Algorithms (Step-by-Step Instructions)

An algorithm is a finite sequence of well-defined instructions

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The story

Your Secret Helper

Do you know how to get ready in the morning? First you wake up, then you stretch, then you get out of bed. I am the secret set of steps that helps you do things in the right order. I am there when you build a tall tower with blocks, one block on top of another. I am the recipe you follow to make a yummy snack. I am your special helper hiding in plain sight, making everything easy and fun.

Hello. My name is Algorithm. That’s a big word, but it just means a set of instructions. People have known me for a very, very long time, even before there were cars or computers. Thousands of years ago, around 1800 BCE, people in a place called Babylonia used my steps to solve number puzzles on soft clay. Much later, in the 9th century, a super-smart person named al-Khwarizmi loved using me to figure things out. He wrote books about my special steps, and people liked his name so much that they named me, Algorithm, after him. It’s like a fun nickname.

Today, I am busier than ever. I live inside computers, tablets, and phones. I am the secret instructions that help your favorite cartoons play and make your fun games work. Every time you follow steps to brush your teeth, or put on your shoes, or help a grown-up bake cookies, you are using me. I am your superpower for solving any problem, one little step at a time. I help you get everything right.