Doing OK with Java Prog But Need Help With Algorithms

[CodeTilYaDrop]

Hi Everyone,

Could you share your experience on how to get better at solving problems. I am doing okay with the programming part, but I do not always pick the best algorithms for my problems. Do you have suggestions on how to get better at this? Where did some of you get so good at solving various problems?? Please help me out here. Thanks in advance -

[Ganon11]

Problem solving is one of the few things that I never 'learned', I just had it. Regardless, I still sometimes think of poor algorithms. That's why I'm taking the Data Structures and Algorithms class I'm in.

What level of programming are you doing? Are you a high school student? University student? Interested non-student? I suggest you pick up a book on algorithm analysis - the one I have, Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in C++, is very good and comprehensive. There is a version for Java here. Looks a little expensive, but it's amazing for teaching relative faster/slower algorithms, and how you can tell which of 2 algorithms is faster.

[JosAH]

Hi Everyone,

Could you share your experience on how to get better at solving problems. I am doing okay with the programming part, but I do not always pick the best algorithms for my problems. Do you have suggestions on how to get better at this? Where did some of you get so good at solving various problems?? Please help me out here. Thanks in advance -

The canonical book on this very topic is Donald Knuth's three volumes:
"The Art of Computer Programming". Those volumes are a must read; every
thinkable algorithm is explained and proofs are given for their big-Oh behaviour.
Maybe you can lay your hands on a second hand version of those volumes.

kind regards,

Jos

[CodeTilYaDrop]

I am just learning to program this year. I finally got a class that teaches you somethiing this year, and I am learning at an astronomical rate!!! I really appreciate you both answering my questions in the past and now! You have been a great help to me!!

I will probably take Gannon's advice and pick up the book at my school library. They have all the latest and greatest books out there. It is one of the better libraries I have seen. I doubt the books Jos mentioned are there though, but they might.

I might buy the ones Jos mentioned later on because they look like the true meat on this subject. I am a little too basic at this point to be able to absorb the material in those books now and I might be for Gannon's book, too. Gannon's book is the easier of the two though, and I do need to learn it!!

Also, I might learn some more in the next class on this. I have to take one where the book is called Data Abstractions & Problem Solving in C++(next semester).

Thanks again you two!!! -

[JosAH]

I might buy the ones Jos mentioned later on because they look like the true meat on this subject. I am a little too basic at this point to be able to absorb the material in those books now and I might be for Gannon's book, too. Gannon's book is the easier of the two though, and I do need to learn it!!

Of course there are lots of other good books around that are very well worth reading,
but, as you already mentioned yourself, a lot of them take a language specific
approach: "yadda-yadda-yadda in C++/Java/C#/whatever". Donald Knuth takes
the language neutral mathematical approach and actually gives your proofs for
the optimality for a huge bunch of algorithms; but maybe you're right and you
should keep it in mind for later so you can enjoy the real "meat" a bit more ;-)

kind regards,

Jos

ps. another really good one is "Design and analysis of Algorithms" by Aho,
Hopcroft and Ullman. It's a second must read for your list. It's all about algorithms,
no language specific stuff in there.

[CodeTilYaDrop]

Jos, I am writting all these books down to get in the near future! I appreciate you all for you help. Thanks again buddy-