I CSI 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Herman Hollerith, Euclidean Algorithm, Pearson Education
Document Summary
Computer science is the discipline that seeks to build a scientific foundation for such topics as computer design, computer programming, information processing, algorithmic solution of problems and the algorithmic process itself, algorithm: most fundamental concept in computer science. A set of steps that defines how a task is performed. How to find prime numbers: before a machine can perform a task, it needs to have instructions such that it can understand them, program: a representation of an algorithm. Programs are written on paper or displayed on a screen for humans. 0-2: in a sense, the intelligence required to solve a problem is encoded in the algorithm, the intelligence displayed by machines is limited by the intelligence that can be conveyed through algorithms. If no algorithm exists for solving a problem, then the solution of that problem lies beyond the capabilities of a machine to solve it: g del"s incompleteness theorem (1930): some problems cannot be solved by algorithms.