16 min read

What Is a Program?

Programs, algorithms and programming languages — and the input, process and output of every program.

Key Ideas

The algorithm is the idea; the program is the algorithm written in a programming language . The same algorithm can be coded in Python, Java or C.

Programs follow input → process → output
Programs follow input → process → output

Clear — each step has only one meaning. Ordered — steps happen in the right sequence. Finite — it always finishes. Correct — it gives the right answer for every valid input. Efficient — it does not waste time or memory.

Practice

Which is NOT a property of a good algorithm?

Key Ideas

The algorithm is the idea; the program is the algorithm written in a programming language . The same algorithm can be coded in Python, Java or C.

Input, Process, Output

Programs follow input → process → output
Programs follow input → process → output

What Makes a Good Algorithm?

Clear — each step has only one meaning. Ordered — steps happen in the right sequence. Finite — it always finishes. Correct — it gives the right answer for every valid input. Efficient — it does not waste time or memory.

Practice

Which is NOT a property of a good algorithm?