Algorithms

abstraction - focusing on just the important details of the problem decomposition - breaking a problem down into smaller parts algorithmic thinking - creating a step by step solution to the problem

checks each item in the list one by one until it finds what it is looking for adv - doesn’t need to be ordered disadv - not efficient, takes time

find middle item. if it is the item you are looking for then stop. otherwise compare to the item you are looking for and then half the half you have left over. Then repeat until you are finished. adv - More efficient disadv - list has to be ordered

Checks the first two items in a list, swaps them if they are in the wrong order and then moves onto the next two items and repeats the process. Once it has passed through the list once it goes through again until none of the items need swapping. + Simple. – Takes a long time

Finds the middle item (n+1)/2 and splits the list in half. Repeats this step until the list is split into individual items (sub-lists). It them merges (joins) the sublists in pairs. Each time the sublists are paired they are sorted into the correct order. + Efficient – Slow

Looks at the second item in a list and compares it to the items that are in front of it, then inserts it into the right place. It then moves to the next item in the list and repeats these steps. + Quick for sorting small lists – slow withlong lists

Oval - start/stop Diamond - decision Rectangle - action

input - what info is entered process - the thing that happens to the input output - the result of the process

shows how a problem is broken down

syntax - mistakes using language e.g.comma or quotation mark logic - mistake in the programs source code. runtime - error whilst executing the program

used to determine outputs from a program as it runs. They enable a programmer to find errors in their programs.