Once Upon an Algorithm

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Imagine a computer scientist intently focused on a screen, hacking or developing an app. Now, erase that image. In this insightful work, computation is framed as an activity extending beyond electronic devices, with computer science defined as the study of systematic problem solving. Daily routines, such as getting out of bed, illustrate problem-solving through well-defined steps, known as algorithms. The author uses relatable examples to explain computing concepts, such as Hansel and Gretel’s algorithm for finding their way home, the unsolvability theme in Groundhog Day, Sherlock Holmes’s data manipulation in crime-solving, and the magic of Harry Potter understood through types and abstraction. Indiana Jones exemplifies the complexity of search algorithms. The discussion also covers data representation, "intractable" problems, language and syntax, control structures, loops, the halting problem, recursion, and error detection in algorithms. This engaging narrative makes computation accessible and highlights its relevance in everyday life, prompting reflection on our own daily algorithms, like the morning routine.