Algorithmic Design and Data Structures

 How to apply algorithmic design and data structure techniques and develop structured programs?

 When applying algorithmic designs in developing structures, there are some key things to consider. First, you need to choose how you would represent the algorithm whether it be using flow charts or pseudocode. Flowcharts act as a visual reference of the algorithm to show the statements to be executed, logic flow and show the start and end points. As for the pseudocode, This is an alternative to flowcharts. It is a textual representation of algorithms to give an estimation of the final source code. Another way to apply algorithmic design is through choosing the right algorithm. By doing so, you consider factors such as memory usage and CPU time. Therefore, you select the algorithm based on the problem's characteristics.

Data structure is a way to store and organize data. You have different structures Dynamic and Static structures. However, depending on the program you need to implement certain techniques which include using the right data structure. For instance, the static structure deals with having a fixed size during program execution; whereas the dynamic data structure has a variable size during execution. Next, memory management should also be considered when it relates to memory overhead without the need for frequency reallocations.  Lastly, optimization is a technique to be used that determines how fast data can be accessed to reduce cache misses and increase program efficiency.

Are some designs better than others?

 Indeed. However, this is why it is important to review the specifications needed to run a specific program. It is important to have the right memory capacity, which increases performance and leads to the simplicity of the program. For example, when doing a binary search, one design that will be preferred is sorted data whether it be in ascending or descending order. This is crucial for the overall functionality of the program. However, for linear search where data isn't sorted and randomly placed, this leads to less efficiency especially when multiple searches are needed to be done.

For the application of algorithmic design and data structures, you have to identify the algorithm by choosing it based on the problem whether it be sorting, searching, or graph transversal. Using pseudocode can assist in outlining the algorithm steps. Once you have chosen the algorithm that you're using, you can move on to use the right data structure whether it be a static or dynamic structure to implement for the coding.  Once the code is written, you can test it and then run it.

References

Friesen, J. (2017, August 10). Data structures and algorithms in Java, Part 1: Overview. InfoWorld. Retrieved September 2, 2023, from https://www.infoworld.com/article/3215112/java-101-datastructures-and-algorithms-in-java-part-1.html

Jain, S. (2023, February 15). Algorithms Design Techniques. GeeksforGeeks. Retrieved September 2, 2023, from https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/algorithms-design-techniques/

Jain, S. (2023, February 22). Static Data Structure vs Dynamic Data Structure. GeeksforGeeks. Retrieved September 2, 2023, from https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/static-data-structure-vs-dynamic-data-structure/