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                             Ada Lovelace is credited for the evolution of the concept
                             of algorithm.




                       CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD ALGORITHM AND
                      FLOWCHARTS


                  The main characteristics of a good algorithm are:
                      Precision: Each step is precisely defined.

                      Uniqueness: Result of each step should be uniquely identified and only depend on the result
                     of the preceding step.
                      Finiteness: It should stop after a finite number of instructions are executed.

                      Input: The input to an algorithm must be clearly specified and precisely defined.
                      Output: The output produced by the algorithm must also be clearly specified and precisely
                  defined.

                      Effective: The algorithm should be efficient in terms of time and space.

                      USES OF AN ALGORITHM

                  Algorithm is commonly used for:

                      Performing data processing                Performing computer and mathematical operations

                      Manipulating data                         Searching for a particular data

                      WRITING AN ALGORITHM

                  The construction of the Algorithm is the stage which requires creative thinking and finding the
                  best possible combination of steps to get the result. For example,

                  A. Algorithm to find product, sum and difference of two numbers

                  Step 1  Start.

                  Step 2   Read two numbers and store them in A and B.
                  Step 3   Multiply two numbers A and B and store the result in Product.
                  Step 4    Print the product.

                  Step 5   Add two numbers A and B and store the result in SUM.

                  Step 6   Print the sum.
                  Step 7   Subtract the number B from the number A and store the result in Difference.
                  Step 8   Print the difference.

                  Step 9   Stop.


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