What Is an Algorithm? Morning Steps Before School

Hello, little friend! Today we are learning a new word: algorithm. Sounds hard, right? Don't worry, its meaning is very simple.

An algorithm is a set of steps arranged in order to finish a task. In fact, you already use algorithms every day!

Example: Getting Ready for School

Try to remember what you do every morning before you leave for school:

1. Get out of bed.
2. Take a bath.
3. Put on your red and white uniform.
4. Eat breakfast.
5. Put on your shoes.
6. Kiss your father's or mother's hand and say goodbye.
7. Leave for school.

That is your morning algorithm. Every step has its own place. Your morning algorithm may be a little different, for example you eat breakfast before taking a bath. That is fine, as long as all the steps make sense.

Order Matters

What if we swap the order? For example, you put on your shoes first and then take a bath. Oh no, your shoes get wet! Or you leave for school first and only then put on your uniform. That is very funny, isn't it?

So, a good algorithm is:

• In order: there is a first step, a second step, a third step, and so on.
• Clear: every step is easy to understand.
• Has an end: there is a last step, and the task is finished.

Computers Need Algorithms Too

Computers, robots, and phones cannot think on their own. They only follow steps made by people. Steps for a computer are called a program. The person who makes them is called a programmer. If you can arrange steps neatly, you are already starting to think like a programmer!

Let's Try

Tell it in your own words: what are the steps for washing your hands before eating? Count them on your fingers. How many steps are there? Then ask your friend: are their steps the same as yours?

Note for parents or teachers: help the child say the steps one by one. There is no wrong answer as long as the order makes sense. Praise the child every time they find a missing step, for example "turn off the tap".