What is an Algorithm?

An algorithm is like a step-by-step recipe that a computer follows to solve a problem or do something specific. Just like how you might follow a recipe to bake a cake, a computer follows an algorithm to get a task done.

Imagine you want to find a specific toy in your messy room. You might first check under your bed, then in your toy box, and finally on your desk. This plan is your algorithm—it’s a set of steps you follow to find the toy.

In computers, algorithms are written in special languages that computers understand. These algorithms help computers do all sorts of things, like finding the fastest way to get to school on a map, sorting your favorite songs, or even helping a robot know how to move.

What’s really cool is that algorithms can be simple or very complex, depending on what they need to do. Some algorithms are as easy as adding two numbers together, while others might help predict the weather or suggest videos you might like on YouTube.

So, an algorithm is basically a clear set of instructions that tells a computer exactly what to do, one step at a time, to solve a problem or complete a task.