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A Visual Introduction to Algorithms

Explore introductory algorithms in computer science, covering searching, sorting, recursion, and graph theory, with visualizations, quizzes, and coding challenges in Java, Python, C++, or Javascript.

Beginner

61 Lessons

14h

Certificate of Completion

Explore introductory algorithms in computer science, covering searching, sorting, recursion, and graph theory, with visualizations, quizzes, and coding challenges in Java, Python, C++, or Javascript.

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This course includes

11 Playgrounds

18 Challenges

Course Overview

Course Content

Course Overview

Learn introductory computer science algorithms, including searching, sorting, recursion, and graph theory through a combination of articles, visualizations, quizzes, and coding challenges. Implement Challenges in Java, Python, C++ or Javascript.

Course Content

Intro to Algorithms

3 Lessons

Get familiar with the significance of algorithms, comparing search methods, and solving route-finding problems.

What is an algorithm and why should you care?

A Guessing Game

Route-finding

Binary Search

5 Lessons

Get started with the efficiency and implementation of binary search in sorted arrays.

Binary Search

Implementing Binary Search of an Array

Challenge: Binary Search

Running Time of Binary Search

Quiz: Running time of binary search

Asymptotic Analysis

6 Lessons

Examine asymptotic notation, big-Θ, big-O, and big-Ω for analyzing algorithm performance.

Introduction to Asymptotic notation

Big-θ (Big-Theta) notation

Functions in Asymptotic Notation

Big-O notation

Big-Ω (Big-Omega) notation

Quiz: Asymptotic notation

Selection Sort

6 Lessons

Grasp the fundamentals of selection sort, its implementation challenges, and performance analysis.

Sorting

Challenge: Implement Swap

Selection Sort Pseudocode

Challenge: Find minimum in Subarray

Challenge: Implement Selection Sort

Analysis of Selection Sort

Insertion Sort

5 Lessons

Solve problems in implementing and understanding insertion sort for efficient array sorting.

Insertion Sort

Challenge: Insert a Value Before an Index in Sorted Order

Insertion Sort pseudocode

Challenge: Implement Insertion Sort

Analysis of Insertion Sort

Recursion Algorithms

11 Lessons

Focus on recursive algorithms, including factorials, palindromes, power calculations, and fractal geometry.

Recursion

The factorial function

Challenge: Iterative factorial

Recursive factorial

Challenge: Recursive factorial

Properties of recursive algorithms

Using recursion to determine whether a word is a palindrome

Challenge: is a string a palindrome?

Computing powers of a number

Challenge: Recursive Powers

The Sierpinski gasket

Towers of Hanoi

4 Lessons

Practice using recursion to solve the Towers of Hanoi puzzle’s escalating challenges.

Towers of Hanoi

Move three disks in Towers of Hanoi

Towers of Hanoi, continued

Challenge: Solve Hanoi recursively

Merge Sort

6 Lessons

Try out merge sort's efficient divide-and-conquer method for array sorting.

Divide and Conquer Algorithms

Overview of Merge Sort

Challenge: Implement Merge Sort

Linear-time Merging

Challenge: Implement Merge

Analysis of Merge Sort

Quick Sort

5 Lessons

Unpack the core of Quicksort: a recursive algorithm via divide-and-conquer for efficient sorting.

Overview of Quicksort

Challenge: Implement Quicksort

Linear-time Partitioning

Challenge: Implement Partition

Analysis of Quicksort

10.

Graphs

3 Lessons

Examine the structure, representation, and practical storage methods for graphs, using various data structures.

Describing graphs

Representing graphs

Challenge: Store a graph

11.

Breadth-first Search

4 Lessons

Break down the steps to implement and analyze the breadth-first search algorithm in graphs.

Breadth-first search and its uses

The breadth-first search algorithm

Challenge: Implement breadth-first search

Analysis of breadth-first search

12.

License

2 Lessons

Deepen your knowledge of the porting process of a renowned algorithms course.

Why did we port Cormen and Balkcom's Algorithms course?

License

13.

Non-comparison based sorting algorithms

1 Lessons

Focus on non-comparison-based sorting with counting sort methodology and efficiency.

Counting Sort

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Frequently Asked Questions

What topics does this course cover?

The course covers basic algorithms, including searching, sorting, recursion, and graph theory.

What makes this course unique?

It uses visualizations, quizzes, and coding challenges to teach algorithms interactively.

What programming languages are supported in the coding challenges?

You can implement challenges in Java, Python, C++, or JavaScript.

What learning methods are used in the course?

The course includes articles, visual aids, quizzes, and coding exercises to enhance understanding.

Which type of visualizations are used?

The course uses interactive visualizations to demonstrate how algorithms work step-by-step.

How will this course help me with problem-solving?

The visual approach helps clarify abstract algorithmic concepts, enhancing your problem-solving ability using various methods.