What Is What
an Algorithm?
Is an Algorithm?
An algorithm is a set of clear instructions that you follow to complete
a task or solve a problem.
It is important to remember that it is a step-
by-step procedure leading to an outcome or
result. For example: A model aeroplane will
come with a set of instructions to build and
complete it. The aim is to complete the task
but also to enjoy playing with the object
itself.
Algorithms Need
Algorithms To To
Need Be Be
Organised
Organised
To create algorithms you need to understand when you use them.
• Start at the beginning of your day and focus on a particular task.
• Talk to a partner about this to gather your thoughts.
• What do you do first?
• What is the next step?
• Continue until you have completed the task.
• How many steps did you take to complete it?
Everything Is an Algorithm!
Everything Is an Algorithm!
Everyday tasks are algorithms. We perform hundreds of
thousands of algorithms a week without even thinking about
it.
Classifying objects is a human algorithm. We cannot help
ourselves.
WE LOVE TO ORGANISE
From organising our books we read.
To sorting out our food groups in our pantry, humans like
to have structure in their daily lives.
How CanHow
I Create
Can I Create
My Own My
Algorithms?
Own Algorithms?
When we create algorithms or a set of instructions we need to remember some
important questions.
• What is the task you wish to create?
• How can you write instructions that other people will understand and be
able to follow?
• What is the best way to represent these instructions?
Test It Out! Test It Out!
• Write your own set of instructions for a partner to
carry out.
• Make the instructions clear and easy to follow.
• Test them out to see if your partner understands
what you are asking them to do.
• Get your partner to provide feedback on how they
felt about the instructions given.
• Did you need to change anything?
Task 1Task
- Design an Algorithm
1 - Design an Algorithm
• Now you are more familiar with different types of algorithms could you
design a set of grid instructions for a floor robot?
• Have a look at the map on the next slide. Could you navigate around this
map?
• Where would you start and where would you finish?
Town Map Town Map
Create Your Instructions
Create Your Instructions
Using the Floor Robot arrows create a set of instructions with the grid coordinates,
for example:
Forward Arrow Left Turn Arrow Right Turn Arrow Go
Set 1
• Start at E1 and move forward down the road until you reach the Stop Sign at
E4.
• Go North 1 square until you reach a sign.
What does that sign say?
• Think about the next instruction here.
Design Your Instructions
Design Your Instructions
Using the Forces in Motion Design Booklet, create your own set of instructions
for your Floor Robot.
Create an organised set of instructions:
Set 1, Set 2, Set 3, Set 4
Another way is to create your own flowchart mapping the steps out along a set
grid.
Set 1 Set 2
Set 3
Set 4
Test It Out Test It Out
• Reflect on the instructions you gave for your floor robot.
• Do you need to alter your robot’s instructions to move them across the map?
• Answer the questions in the booklet.
Algorithms Out!
