algorithm

An algorithm (pronounced AL-go-rith-um) is a procedure or formula for solving a problem. The word derives from the name of the mathematician, Mohammed ibn-Musa al-Khwarizmi, who was part of the royal court in Baghdad and who lived from about 780 to 850. Al-Khwarizmi's work is the likely source for the word algebra as well.

A computer program can be viewed as an elaborate algorithm. In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm usually means a small procedure that solves a recurrent problem.

Read more about it at: > SearchSecurity.com has an article on the two basic types of encryption algorithms. > SearchVB.com, a portal for Visual Basic developers, includes a collection of links about algorithms. > The Web includes several short biographies of al-Khwarizmi.

This word suggested by: Fouad Tawfiq and Ali

Last updated on: Oct 25, 2007

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