EXAMPLE OF AN ALGORITHM

A process is a sequence of activities actually being carried out or executed, to solve a problem. But algorithm and programs are just descriptions of a process in some notation. Further, a program is an algorithm in a notation that can be understood and be executed by a computer system.

It may be noted that for some problems and the available tools, there may not exist any algorithm that should give the desired output. For example, the problem of baking delicious pudding may not be solvable, if no cooking gas or any other heating substance is available. Similarly, the problem of reaching the moon is unsolvable, if no spaceship is available for the purpose.

These examples also highlight the significance of available tools in solving a problem. Later, we discuss some of mathematical problems which are not solvable. But, again these problems are said to be unsolvable, because of the fact that the operations (i.e., the tools) that are allowed to be used in solving the problems, are from a restricted pre-assigned set.