Algorithms 101

algorithm

What's an algorithm? Besides being the answer to most interview questions, an algorithm is a way to solve a particular problem in programming.

Google Maps uses an algorithm to calculate driving directions through 3 cities while avoiding highways. Amazon uses an algorithm to figure out exactly what product to recommend to you next so that you'll blindly one-click it.

In this workshop, we will discuss what an algorithm is, introduce the idea of algorithmic complexity (big O notation), demonstrate sort and search algorithms (with a hands-on re-enactment), and finish with an overview of the many types of algorithms out there. This workshop is taught by Amelia Downs, Software Engineer at Pivotal & Jessica Dene Earley, Lab Instructor at Hackbright, and led Dev Bootcamp's Algorithm Nights in the past.

This workshop focuses on design-thinking for algorithms, which is a pre-requisite to expressing these ideas in code.

Lunch is provided.

Prerequisites: Attendees would benefit from a basic understanding of a programming language, like from JS 101, but that is not required.

Tech requirements: Your laptop, if you'd like to follow along with the slides.

Schedule:

• Introduction

• Defining an Algorithm

• Data Structures

• Time/space complexity

• Several Sorting Algorithms

• Binary Search

• Algorithms in Real Life

Payment is required to attend. If you'd like to attend but cannot afford the cost, request a scholarship (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/19YePb1ncNgHLFze40_BJRM7w8SG5mh1D0uB4qyKjwWs/viewform). Due to the amount of applications, only the scholarship recipient will receive an email a few days before the workshop. Thank you for your understanding!