Algorithm
hideIn mathematics, computing, linguistics, and related subjects, an algorithm is a finite sequence of instructions, an explicit, step-by-step procedure for solving a problem, often used for calculation and data processing. It is formally a type of effective method in which a list of well-defined instructions for completing a task, will when given an initial state, proceed through a well-defined series of successive states, eventually terminating in an end-state. The transition from one state to the next is not necessarily deterministic; some algorithms, known as probabilistic algorithms, incorporate randomness.
A partial formalization of the concept began with attempts to solve the Entscheidungsproblem (the "decision problem") posed by David Hilbert in 1928. Subsequent formalizations were framed as attempts to define "effective calculability" (Kleene 1943:274) or "effective method" (Rosser 1939:225); those formalizations included the Gödel-Herbrand-Kleene recursive functions of 1930, 1934 and 1935, Alonzo Church's lambda calculus of 1936, Emil Post's "Formulation 1" of 1936, and Alan Turing's Turing machines of 1936–7 and 1939.
For more information about Algorithm, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with algorithm
Google Collaborates with D-Wave on Possible Quantum Image Search
Dec 15, 2009 |
4.4 / 5 (16) |
5
(PhysOrg.com) -- Always on the cutting edge of new computing technologies, Google has recently announced that it is investigating the use of quantum computing schemes to achieve faster image recognition rates. ...
New Algorithm Ranks Sports Teams like Google's PageRank
Technology / Computer Sciences
Dec 15, 2009 |
4 / 5 (1) |
0
(PhysOrg.com) -- Sports fans may be interested in a new system that ranks NFL and college football teams in a simple, straightforward way, similar to how Google PageRank ranks webpages. The new sports algorithm, ...
Slam dunk for future smart robots
Dec 14, 2009 |
5 / 5 (3) |
0
(PhysOrg.com) -- 'What does the world look like' and 'where am I' are two questions robots must solve if they are to act autonomously in an unknown environment. Work by European researchers will help future ...
Visual assistance for cosmic blind spots
Nov 23, 2009 |
4.3 / 5 (3) |
0
A bit of imagination on the part of a measuring instrument wouldn't be a bad thing. It could help to add data from areas where the instrument is unable to measure. However, it must do so constructively. In ...
Analyzing structural brain changes in Alzheimer's disease
Nov 16, 2009 |
4.3 / 5 (4) |
0
In a study that promises to improve diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer's disease, scientists at the University of California, San Diego have developed a fast and accurate method for quantifying subtle, ...
NASA 'Drops' Next Generation Robotic Lander During Autonomous Tests
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Nov 16, 2009 |
4.6 / 5 (10) |
0
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA has successfully completed a series of autonomous "drop" tests of a robotic lander test article - in a record 10 months - to demonstrate the ability to perform a controlled landing on ...
Researchers patent enabling technology for spread-spectrum systems
Nov 17, 2009 |
4 / 5 (2) |
0
If you've ever gotten the dreaded "network busy" message while trying to make a cell phone call, you've experienced the complication of sharing a single network with numerous other users.
Researchers develop virtual streams to help restore real ones
Nov 24, 2009 |
5 / 5 (1) |
0
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a unique new computer model called the Virtual StreamLab, designed to help restore real streams to a healthier state. The Virtual StreamLab, which demonstrates the ...
Technique finds gene regulatory sites without knowledge of regulators
Nov 19, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
A new statistical technique developed by researchers at the University of Illinois allows scientists to scan a genome for specific gene-regulatory regions without requiring prior knowledge of the relevant transcription factors. ...
There's no business like Grid business (w/ Video)
Technology / Computer Sciences
Nov 17, 2009 |
3 / 5 (1) |
0
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have embraced the Grid, but businesses have held back, concerned about complexity and security. Now a European research team has built a platform opening the Grid's vast resources ...
