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 focuses on design-thinking for algorithms, which is a pre-requisite to expressing these ideas in code.
Topics covered:
• Defining an algorithm
• Data structures
• Time/space complexity
• Several sorting algorithms
• Binary search
• Algorithms in real life
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 (Mac, PC, Linux) and charger
• A modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
If you do not have a laptop, please contact the instructors. We have a limited number of Chromebooks for students to borrow.
