A step-by-step procedure or set of rules for solving a problem or completing a task. It's a precise sequence of instructions that, when followed, will produce a desired outcome.
Named after Al-Khwarizmi, a 9th-century Persian mathematician whose Latin name was 'Algorithmus.' Originally referred to arithmetic using Arabic numerals, but by the 1950s expanded to mean any systematic problem-solving procedure in computing.
Every recipe is an algorithm! When you follow a cookie recipe, you're executing an algorithm - precise steps in order (mix ingredients, bake at 350°F for 12 minutes) that reliably produce the same result. Computer algorithms work exactly the same way, just with data instead of flour and sugar!
While 'algorithm' itself is neutral, algorithm design and deployment have reflected social biases, including gender bias, in data and objectives. Early computing work, often performed by women, was sometimes framed as rote or clerical rather than algorithmic innovation.
When discussing algorithms, acknowledge potential gender bias in data and outcomes, and avoid assuming technical expertise is male by default.
Women such as Ada Lovelace and many early programmers contributed foundational algorithmic ideas, though their work was frequently undervalued compared to male colleagues.
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