{"id":430,"date":"2020-09-22T10:19:19","date_gmt":"2020-09-22T14:19:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.macloo.com\/ai\/?p=430"},"modified":"2021-06-03T13:05:18","modified_gmt":"2021-06-03T17:05:18","slug":"how-to-start-learning-about-algorithms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.macloo.com\/ai\/2020\/09\/22\/how-to-start-learning-about-algorithms\/","title":{"rendered":"How to start learning about algorithms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After writing yesterday’s post<\/a>, I was thinking about how much students should know about algorithms if they are to have a basic understanding of how AI works. Is it enough to tell them an algorithm is a set of instructions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I turned, as I often do, to Khan Academy \u2014 a free online learning site that often helps me through my lack of a mathematics background. I found a set of three short lessons<\/a>, starting with a video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Screenshot from Khan Academy video<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the introductory video, “What is an algorithm and why should you care?”, we see various practical uses of algorithms, followed by the statement above, and a brief description of how route finding<\/em> works \u2014 what Google Maps does when it gives you directions. Route finding is often used as an example of accepting a “good enough” output for the sake of speed (that is, efficiency<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watching the animation, we comprehend that the computer is following a set of instructions to determine a good route for a delivery truck with 25 stops to make. We see the process<\/em> of the algorithm at work, rather than seeing formulas and equations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love that the video also shows us, with animation, how the efficiency of an algorithm is calculated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second lesson, “A guessing game,” demonstrates binary search<\/em> (an algorithm) by allowing you to discover it<\/em> interactively. Wonderful!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The third lesson, “Route-finding,” is much more reading intensive. It explains the algorithm in terms of solving a maze. Without knowing the exact path to solve the maze, the algorithm can “know” which choice for its next step takes it closer to the goal<\/em> (the center of the maze). I don’t consider this lesson very helpful, but that’s because I saw a much better explanation<\/em> of maze-solving algorithms here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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