Once Upon an Algorithm: How Stories Explain Computing
2017 abu. · MIT Press
1,0star
1 iritzi
Liburu elektronikoa
336
orri
family_home
Egokia
info
Liburu elektroniko honi buruz
This easy-to-follow introduction to computer science reveals how familiar stories like Hansel and Gretel, Sherlock Holmes, and Harry Potter illustrate the concepts and everyday relevance of computing.
Picture a computer scientist, staring at a screen and clicking away frantically on a keyboard, hacking into a system, or perhaps developing an app. Now delete that picture. In Once Upon an Algorithm, Martin Erwig explains computation as something that takes place beyond electronic computers, and computer science as the study of systematic problem solving. Erwig points out that many daily activities involve problem solving. Getting up in the morning, for example: You get up, take a shower, get dressed, eat breakfast. This simple daily routine solves a recurring problem through a series of well-defined steps. In computer science, such a routine is called an algorithm.
Erwig illustrates a series of concepts in computing with examples from daily life and familiar stories. Hansel and Gretel, for example, execute an algorithm to get home from the forest. The movie Groundhog Day illustrates the problem of unsolvability; Sherlock Holmes manipulates data structures when solving a crime; the magic in Harry Potter’s world is understood through types and abstraction; and Indiana Jones demonstrates the complexity of searching. Along the way, Erwig also discusses representations and different ways to organize data; “intractable” problems; language, syntax, and ambiguity; control structures, loops, and the halting problem; different forms of recursion; and rules for finding errors in algorithms.
This engaging book explains computation accessibly and shows its relevance to daily life. Something to think about next time we execute the algorithm of getting up in the morning.
Picture a computer scientist, staring at a screen and clicking away frantically on a keyboard, hacking into a system, or perhaps developing an app. Now delete that picture. In Once Upon an Algorithm, Martin Erwig explains computation as something that takes place beyond electronic computers, and computer science as the study of systematic problem solving. Erwig points out that many daily activities involve problem solving. Getting up in the morning, for example: You get up, take a shower, get dressed, eat breakfast. This simple daily routine solves a recurring problem through a series of well-defined steps. In computer science, such a routine is called an algorithm.
Erwig illustrates a series of concepts in computing with examples from daily life and familiar stories. Hansel and Gretel, for example, execute an algorithm to get home from the forest. The movie Groundhog Day illustrates the problem of unsolvability; Sherlock Holmes manipulates data structures when solving a crime; the magic in Harry Potter’s world is understood through types and abstraction; and Indiana Jones demonstrates the complexity of searching. Along the way, Erwig also discusses representations and different ways to organize data; “intractable” problems; language, syntax, and ambiguity; control structures, loops, and the halting problem; different forms of recursion; and rules for finding errors in algorithms.
This engaging book explains computation accessibly and shows its relevance to daily life. Something to think about next time we execute the algorithm of getting up in the morning.
Balorazioak eta iritziak
1,0
1 iritzi
Egileari buruz
Martin Erwig is Professor of Computer Science in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Oregon State University.
Baloratu liburu elektroniko hau
Eman iezaguzu iritzia.
Irakurtzeko informazioa
Telefono adimendunak eta tabletak
Instalatu Android eta iPad/iPhone gailuetarako Google Play Liburuak aplikazioa. Zure kontuarekin automatikoki sinkronizatzen da, eta konexioarekin nahiz gabe irakurri ahal izango dituzu liburuak, edonon zaudela ere.
Ordenagailu eramangarriak eta mahaigainekoak
Google Play-n erositako audio-liburuak entzuteko aukera ematen du ordenagailuko web-arakatzailearen bidez.
Irakurgailu elektronikoak eta bestelako gailuak
Tinta elektronikoa duten gailuetan (adibidez, Kobo-ko irakurgailu elektronikoak) liburuak irakurtzeko, fitxategi bat deskargatu beharko duzu, eta hura gailura transferitu. Jarraitu laguntza-zentroko argibide xehatuei fitxategiak irakurgailu elektroniko bateragarrietara transferitzeko.
