Algorithms: Machines of the Mind

Description

Ever been taken to a museum by a passionate art lover? They can uncover beauty and subtleties you would never have imagined. Well, let Marcus Randall take you into the world of algorithms. His passion and love shines through on every page. I’d never seen such beauty in algorithms before! Not only did he introduce me to the richness of this subject area, he left me with a desire to know more. — Dr Clio Cresswell, Mathematician, The University of New South Wales; Author, Mathematics and Sex, Allen & Unwin, 2003.

Have you ever wondered how we are able to solve problems and perform complex calculations—everything from a tax return to landing a probe on Mars? Our abstract ideas must first be translated into a set of step-by-step instructions that can eventually be implemented on computers. These algorithms represent a human way of understanding and replicating complex processes.

In Algorithms: Machines of the Mind, a variety of algorithms from ancient Egyptian multiplication to Quantum cryptography are discussed in an informative and anecdotal way that does not require readers to pressess in-depth mathematical knowledge. Importantly, the language of algorithms, pseudocode, is used throughout to explain how common algorithms work. Complementing this is the emphasis on the relationship between algorithms and computers. The popular C programming language is used to demonstrate many of the algorithms.

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