ASK HN: How to study algorithms outside an academic context?

1 pointssaasjosh2y ago1 comments

I tried learning algorithms during the past 10 years but I didn't bother taking it seriously because all the resources I used employed problems that are fun little puzzles but not practical in the real world.

My brain has trouble keeping interest, and retaining information about those.

Are there any resources where the author explains the algorithms well without using advanced maths, while also using real world problems as examples to cement the concepts?

1 comments

illuminant2y ago

Yes, implement them in your favorite programming language.

I was once like you, thinking algorithms were some fancy magical mathematical incantations.

They are for loops and variables, sometimes recursion.

The trick of a good algorithm is to not do unnecessary things, to properly separate the algorithm's code from the application logic.

Give it a try: a sort, a hash tree, an encoding routine.

Just decide what you want ahead of time. Is it speed? Memory efficiency? Code elegance? Esoteric application?

Go ahead, pick an algorithm and a favorite programming language. Do not wait for someone else to tell you it is okay.

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