Algorithm design (planning solutions) in Intro to Computing - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Understanding Algorithm Steps

Which of the following best describes the first step in designing an algorithm to sort a list of numbers?

A Identify the input and output clearly

B Write the code directly without planning

C Ignore edge cases to save time

D Test the algorithm with random data first

💡 Hint

Think about what you need to know before starting to solve a problem.

The first step in algorithm design is to clearly understand what input you have and what output you want. This helps in planning the solution effectively.

❓ trace

intermediate

Tracing Algorithm Execution

Given the flowchart below for finding the maximum number in a list, what is the value of the maximum after processing the list [3, 7, 2, 9, 5]?

Intro to Computing

Start -> Set max to first element -> For each element in list: If element > max, set max = element -> End

A 5

B 7

C 9

D 3

💡 Hint

Compare each number with the current max and update if larger.

The algorithm compares each number to the current max and updates it if the number is larger. The largest number in the list is 9.

❓ Comparison

advanced

Comparing Algorithm Efficiency

Which algorithm design approach is generally more efficient for sorting large datasets?

A Randomly swapping elements until sorted

B Bubble sort with nested loops

C Checking each element one by one without sorting

D Divide and conquer approach like merge sort

💡 Hint

Think about how breaking problems into smaller parts helps.

Divide and conquer algorithms like merge sort break the problem into smaller parts and combine results, making them efficient for large datasets.

❓ identification

advanced

Identifying Algorithm Components

In the algorithm design process, which component is responsible for deciding the next step based on a condition?

A Decision or conditional statement

B Input

C Loop

D Output

💡 Hint

This component helps the algorithm choose between different paths.

Decision or conditional statements allow the algorithm to choose the next step based on a condition, guiding the flow.

🚀 Application

expert

Designing an Algorithm for a Real-World Problem

You need to design an algorithm to help a librarian find a book by its title in a large unsorted collection. Which approach is best to plan the solution?

A Ask the librarian to remember the position of each book

B Scan each book one by one until the title is found

C Sort the books by title first, then use binary search

D Randomly pick books until the correct title is found

💡 Hint

Consider the collection is unsorted and you want to find a specific item.

Since the collection is unsorted, scanning each book one by one is the straightforward approach. Sorting first would take extra time and is not part of the problem.