I believe there are broadly two types of introductory books on computer science. One type is books that get you to start ...

Algorithms are central to modern mathematics and computer science. They are explicit procedures valued for their clarity, efficiency and beauty ...

Sophie Huiberts is a Junior Fellow with the Simons Society of Fellows. From search engines to traffic signals, computer algorithms are a central part of our daily lives. Some algorithms, such as those ...

People have performed many mathematical proofs to show that a quantum computer will vastly outperform traditional computers on a number of algorithms. But the quantum ...

In algorithms, as in life, negativity can be a drag. Consider the problem of finding the shortest path between two points on a graph — a network of nodes connected by links, or edges. Often, these ...

Algorithms have taken on an almost mythical significance in the modern world. They determine what you see on social media and when browsing online, help form people’s belief systems, and impact the ...

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. Imagine a town with two widget merchants. Customers prefer cheaper widgets, so the merchants must compete to set the lowest price.

The changing use of the word algorithm reflects this enhanced visibility. In fact, the meaning of this word has changed ...