Fundamental Concepts

Input: Algorithms take some data as input. This could be a list of numbers to sort, a piece of text to search within, or any other kind of information relevant to the problem.

Steps: An algorithm consists of a finite sequence of unambiguous instructions. Each step must be clear and precisely defined, leaving no room for interpretation.

Output: After executing the steps, an algorithm produces a result or output. This output should have a defined relationship to the input and should solve the intended problem.

Finiteness: An algorithm must always terminate after a finite number of steps for any valid input. It cannot run indefinitely.

Definiteness: Each step of the algorithm must be precisely defined and unambiguous. There should be no vagueness or room for multiple interpretations.

Effectiveness: The algorithm should be practically feasible. Each instruction must be basic enough that it can be carried out, at least in principle, by a computer.