Algorithms

At its simplest, “coding” is writing algorithms. Specifically, a computer programmer considers a problem, then writes an algorithm that can be executed by a computer. This algorithm and the written symbols that are input into the computer are colloquially referred to as “code.”

In discussions of computing or mathematics, an algorithm is a step-by-step procedure that, for example:

• Determines the result of an arithmetic or algebraic computation involving one or more variables.
• Makes a change to a computational object. 
• Produces a visual display to represent a set of input data.
• Answers a question about an element of a collection of objects or the collection itself.

The applet below is an example of an algorithm implemented in the Python computer programming language that defines and evaluates a linear function at x=2. We’ll spend a lot of time learning the ins-and-outs of Python later. For now, read the code and press the button to see the function’s output. After you’ve changed and evaluated the function a few times, click the “mark complete” button and move on to the next topic.