good book on algorithms?

I'd like to get into computer security and from the preliminary research I've done, I figured I'll need to learn algorithms. Can anyone suggest a good book for beginners on the subject of algorithms? Thanks in advance. :)

-P.

www.Google.com
A printer & paper
is all you need


Nightfalls_Girl

Quote:

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Originally posted here by Nightfalls_Girl
www.Google.com
A printer & paper
is all you need
Nightfalls_Girl

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That was not very helpful.


hayley, an algorithm is basically a set of instructions or a method used to carry out a task in a logical manner.

Quote:

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Algorithm

The term algorithm describes the method for doing a task. The term is generally used in the context of software to describe the program logic for a specific function. The two important factors in determining how to design an algorithm are the accuracy of the result and the efficiency of the processing.

Algorithms can generally be broken down into two types: definitive and subjective. Definitive algorithms perform tasks that have a definite answer and a best method for processing. An example is searching for a word in a list. Depending on the size of the list, certain search algorithms are more efficient then others. Definitive algorithms are typically of interest to only computer scientist.

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Check out this book at Amazon.

This book contains examples using pseudocode - which is good if you are trying to train yourself to "think" a certain way. Whenever I begin a complicated program I always begin with a sort of pseudocode algorithm...these can generally be applied to most languages as they (usually) are not code specific.

Hope this helps.

In my Opinion, when you come across a programming problem the best why to go about developing an algothim is to break the problem down into steps,

flow diagrams can help in this process, take this problem, cracking a password (sorry couldnt think of anything nicer)

1) find dictionary file
2) take the first enter and try in password entry field
3) does it work? Yes (end program) No (goto 4)
4) take last entry plus 1 to get the line to read from dictionary file
5) goto 3

so for the first bit we'd need to read in the file, this is done simply and might require so user input to locate the file

second bit is read something in and the sending it somewhere

third bit is some logic

4th and 5th bits weve already done

genreating an algothim is basically like building a set of blocks, the difficult bit in my Opinion comes when you need to join these blocks together

this site http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/A842960 explains a little about algothims,

I dont think buying a book well help to much, its just teaching your self to break down a problem into small steps,

hope this helps, PM me if you want

i2c

ps:- im good at doing the algothims, its the programming bit that usually gets me!!!
pps:- hope no one minded me breaking the femine only posts on this thread :-D

Hi! Google is actually the first place I went before I came here. The one book that seemed of interest to me was Robert Lafore's "Sam's Teach Yourself Algorithms in 24 hours", but Amazon says it's out of print.
I did check out the link for the other book that suggested in this thread, and it's a bit expensive. It's hard for me to get to the local library around here but I think that's what I may do. :(
I did appreciate the link on Algorithms since I am not naturally mathematically adept; the site explains them in plain english.

:cool: G'day hayleyscomet111, i came accross this site while surfing
the net. It might be of assistance to you, hope it is.
this link for books



Cheers, TidaL.

Hi! I went to the website and bookmarked it. I'm sure I'll find some good info. there. Thanks.

-P.