• Algorithm is the collection of simple instructions for carrying out a task.

• Algorithm can also be considered as sequence of unique instructions for solving a specific problem.

• That is whatever the size of input data is; the algorithm can solve the given problem in finite amount of time.

• An algorithm is translated into flow charts and then into source codes for implementation of the system.

Steps:

Steps of defining an algorithm is shown below in figure 2.

It includes:

• Defining your algorithm input.

• Defining variables.

• Outlining the algorithm operations.

• Output the result of your algorithm operations.

• Include special cases if any present.

Developing an algorithm in pseudo code form:

• The algorithm should always begin with the statement “START” and end with the statement “STOP”.

• To accept the input form user we will use “INPUT” or “READ” statement.

• To display the output on monitor, we will use “PRINT” statement.

• We will use the basic arithmetic operators to indicate the operations.

• We will use “AND”, “OR” and “NOT” to indicate conjunction, disjunction and negation respectively.

• To check conditions we can use the “IF”, “THEN” and “ELSE” constructs.

• To branch form one step to another step the construct used is “GOTO”.