4 ms·

I think the average person knows algorithms by their close relative - the "recipe"

• kwhitefoot 9y ago
  Most recipes are not algorithms. From OED: ... set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations ... https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/algorithm https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/algorithm For me one of the key features of an algorithm is that it contains decisions. Most recipes are simply step by step instructions without any branching or looping.
  • compiler-guy 9y ago
    "Add <spice> to taste." "Bake for 40-45 minutes." "If dough is too sticky, add flour." Many recipes contain decisions.
  • vlasev 9y ago
    It was tongue-in-cheek haha. That's why I said "relative", because they are not algorithms.