Why should I learn algorithms

[vijaydshanker]

I am a student of Software Engineering. Today I asked this question to my teacher in class. But did not get any satisfactory answer

Can any one please give me some insight why should i learn this topic in my graduations.

[Glenton]

Seriously?!? You want to study software engineering without studying algorithms?!

[Dheeraj Joshi]

Are you asking this because you need to pick between 2 subjects in curriculum..?
And you are confused between Algorithms and other subject.?

Regards
Dheeraj Joshi

[sashi]

You will love it :) Kindly refer to below attached link;

Data Structures and Algorithms

[OraMaster]

Algorithms are independent of programming languages. It improves your logical thinking and you can design algorithm for anything though you don't know in which programming language you can implement it. And it always better to write down algorithm before implementing any functionality using programming language. Hope you find lot good article on this.

Regards,
Bhushan

[Oralloy]

Unless the only thing you ever do is use visual tools to draw web pages, you're going to modify (and create) algorithms throughout your career.

Algorithms are about solving our real-world problems. To quote Wikipedia on algorithms:

In mathematics, computer science, and related subjects, an 'algorithm' is an effective method for solving a problem expressed as a finite sequence of instructions. Algorithms are used for calculation, data processing, and many other fields. (In more advanced or abstract settings, the instructions do not necessarily constitute a finite sequence, and even not necessarily a sequence; see, e.g., "nondeterministic algorithm".)

Although the examples that we are presented in University are apparently trivial, they're not. At one point, I helped a co-worker apply Pascal's Triangle to a radiation attenuation computation quite successfully. Between us, we optimized his initial, O(N^3) computation time solution, into an O(N^2) solution, which made the solution viable.

Learning how to analyze your solutions and prove them correct is a very useful skill. Especially when dealing with large data sets or computability constraints. In some form, this is what professional computer scientists do for a living.

[jkmyoung]

Algorithms is another way of using pattern recognition to solve a problem once, and apply it to similar objects.

Without algorithms, in every day work you would have to solve the same problem many many times, with slight variations. With algorithms, you can get the idea once (a little more complicated than solving it the first time), and save tons of time later not having to resolve the problem or reinvent the wheel.

[nalantha]

Algorithms is the basic idea about the problem we face.
Studying about it is very usefull. for further surviev as an s/w student.

Good luck

[shyamendra]

algorithms are basic steps for solution of any problem,without algorithm it is not possible to draw any solution of a big problem.