11.2 Types of algorithms

For software programmers, working with algorithms and flowcharts takes place in the early stage of creating a program. This is known as design thinking. One good thing is that algorithms can be written in what is known as pseudocode, which allows a programmer to easily transfer the algorithm into their preferred programming language. Finding good and interesting algorithms allows programmers to write quality programs.

There are many different types of algorithms used for a variety of important functions.

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  • Q. How can we perform online banking transactions safely?
  • A. Encryption algorithms that allow the secure transmission of data.
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  • Q. How do applications like Google Maps know how to get us from one location to another?
  • A. Route finding algorithms that program the most efficient way to get from point A to point B.
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  • How do we stream video online through services like YouTube?
  • A. Compression algorithms.
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  • Q. How do satellites know how to perform tasks?
  • A. Optimisation and scheduling algorithms.
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  • How do filmmakers and game designers create digital characters?
  • A. Rendering algorithms.
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  • Q. How do search engines and social media applications know how to suggest content a user might like?
  • A. Link analysis algorithms that try to create relationships between different pieces of information online.
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Compression algorithms play a key role in our world today, by squeezing large audio and image files into portable packages (e.g. MP3s and JPEGs). Without this technology, medical imaging, for example, wouldn’t exist. Ultrasound machines couldn’t turn raw data into pictures that enable doctors to see inside our bodies to check the development of babies in the womb, diagnose and treat broken bones and more.