What is the importance of algorithms?
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2025 6:51 am
Algorithms used to play a central role in the 19th and 20th centuries, especially in the fields of mathematics and logic , where they were common topics of debate. Today, algorithms are found in almost every area of everyday life. However, we are usually not aware of the algorithms that make certain uses possible, such as the supermarket cash register belt, our navigation devices, or the ranking mechanism of a search engine like Google.
In computer science, algorithms form the central basis of programming. Anyone who wants to learn programming quickly realizes that almost every program uses algorithms to accomplish a task. Simply put, every program is an algorithm .
However, not every algorithm is a program, because algorithms are independent psychiatrist email database of web programming languages . In fact, they can also be formulated in “natural” language , represented in mathematical formulas or executed in a non-mechanical way. The origin of the term is found in the Khorezmi language, and was coined in the 8th century by the thinker and mathematician al-Chwarizmi, short for Abu Jah'far Muhammad ibn Musa al-Chwārizmī.
Applications of algorithms
Algorithms are not limited to languages and methods or specific fields of application. Since their utility lies in problem solving, they represent a specific course of action and procedure that works with different variables and sequences of steps . This is the case, for example, in route calculation for navigation devices, recommendation systems in online shops, programmatic advertising for intelligent and real-time online advertising, translation apps and computer simulations.
In particular, algorithms are gaining ground in the fields of big data and artificial intelligence (AI). Digitalisation and the presence of smart technologies such as smartphones, smartwatches and AI in cars and smart homes mean that data is increasing rapidly.
This requires computers and servers with sufficient computing power, but also algorithms to organize, evaluate, process or apply the volumes of data . Sensors in automated vehicles, which trigger vehicle actions based on the recorded data, are one example of this. Mathematical computer algorithms also play a decisive role in creating climate simulations.
Search engines and pathfinding in computer science could not exist without algorithms. So-called web crawlers are used to search, analyse and index web content . The crawlers catalogue and index data based on the algorithm of a search engine. In turn, the ranking and findability of search results depend on proper cataloging. The search engine algorithm therefore serves as a guide for efficient Search Engine Optimization .
Examples of algorithms
New algorithms with practical options for use appear every day. The following examples illustrate some algorithms that exist in our daily lives .
Google Algorithm
Google takes a fraction of a second to display search results when you enter search terms or perform a query in the search bar. This is made possible by Google's search engine algorithm , which ranks results based on relevance, keywords, link structure, content readability, and security. However, the exact algorithm and its detailed workings remain a secret.
Cooking recipes
Simple cooking recipes embody the basic principle of an algorithm . Ingredients can be understood as inputs that lead to the result in a specific, fixed sequence of actions. Cooking websites that allow calculating the amount of ingredients based on servings and the number of people use algorithms.
In computer science, algorithms form the central basis of programming. Anyone who wants to learn programming quickly realizes that almost every program uses algorithms to accomplish a task. Simply put, every program is an algorithm .
However, not every algorithm is a program, because algorithms are independent psychiatrist email database of web programming languages . In fact, they can also be formulated in “natural” language , represented in mathematical formulas or executed in a non-mechanical way. The origin of the term is found in the Khorezmi language, and was coined in the 8th century by the thinker and mathematician al-Chwarizmi, short for Abu Jah'far Muhammad ibn Musa al-Chwārizmī.
Applications of algorithms
Algorithms are not limited to languages and methods or specific fields of application. Since their utility lies in problem solving, they represent a specific course of action and procedure that works with different variables and sequences of steps . This is the case, for example, in route calculation for navigation devices, recommendation systems in online shops, programmatic advertising for intelligent and real-time online advertising, translation apps and computer simulations.
In particular, algorithms are gaining ground in the fields of big data and artificial intelligence (AI). Digitalisation and the presence of smart technologies such as smartphones, smartwatches and AI in cars and smart homes mean that data is increasing rapidly.
This requires computers and servers with sufficient computing power, but also algorithms to organize, evaluate, process or apply the volumes of data . Sensors in automated vehicles, which trigger vehicle actions based on the recorded data, are one example of this. Mathematical computer algorithms also play a decisive role in creating climate simulations.
Search engines and pathfinding in computer science could not exist without algorithms. So-called web crawlers are used to search, analyse and index web content . The crawlers catalogue and index data based on the algorithm of a search engine. In turn, the ranking and findability of search results depend on proper cataloging. The search engine algorithm therefore serves as a guide for efficient Search Engine Optimization .
Examples of algorithms
New algorithms with practical options for use appear every day. The following examples illustrate some algorithms that exist in our daily lives .
Google Algorithm
Google takes a fraction of a second to display search results when you enter search terms or perform a query in the search bar. This is made possible by Google's search engine algorithm , which ranks results based on relevance, keywords, link structure, content readability, and security. However, the exact algorithm and its detailed workings remain a secret.
Cooking recipes
Simple cooking recipes embody the basic principle of an algorithm . Ingredients can be understood as inputs that lead to the result in a specific, fixed sequence of actions. Cooking websites that allow calculating the amount of ingredients based on servings and the number of people use algorithms.