Introduction to the Design & Analysis of Algorithms

Algorithms play the central role both in the science and practice of computing. Recognition of this fact has led to the appearance of a considerable number of textbooks on the subject. There are three principal reasons for emphasis on algorithm design techniques. * First, these techniques provide a student with tools for designing algorithms for new problems. This makes learning algorithm design techniques a very valuable endeavor from a practical standpoint. * Second, they seek to classify multitudes of known algorithms according to an underlying design idea. Learning to see such commonality among algorithms from different application areas should be a major goal of computer science education. After all, every science considers classification of its principal subject as a major if not the central point of its discipline. * Third, in, algorithm design techniques have utility as general problem solving strategies, applicable to problems beyond computing.