Home › Media, Journalism & Publishing › Algorithms & Echo Chambers › Algorithm

Algorithm

AL-guh-rith-um /ˈælɡərɪðəm/

nounB2GRESAT

formaltechnical

A set of rules or instructions followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer.

While often associated with computers, an algorithm is fundamentally a step-by-step procedure. Its digital application is what makes it so impactful today, governing everything from search results to social media feeds.

The story behind the word. The word 'algorithm' comes from the name of the 9th-century Persian mathematician Muḥammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi. His treatise, 'On the Calculation with Hindu Numerals,' introduced the Hindu-Arabic decimal system to the Western world. When his work was translated into Latin, his name, 'al-Khwarizmi,' became associated with the rules for performing arithmetic operations, eventually evolving into 'algorism' and then 'algorithm' to describe any step-by-step procedure.

Word relationships

procedure: More general, refers to any sequence of actions.
protocol: Often implies a standard or official set of rules, particularly in communication.
formula: Typically mathematical, a set expression rather than a step-by-step process.

intuition: A gut feeling or instinct, opposite of a structured, logical process.
randomness: Lack of pattern or predictability, antithetical to an algorithm's structured nature.

Commonly confused with

Program: An algorithm is the idea or method; a program is the implementation of one or more algorithms in a specific coding language.

Word family

algorithmic (adjective): Relating to or characteristic of an algorithm.
algorithmically (adverb): In an algorithmic manner.

Collocations

complex algorithm
search algorithm
learning algorithm
recommendation algorithm
algorithmic bias

Example sentences

"The social media platform's algorithm constantly learns from user interactions to personalize content feeds, showing more of what it thinks you want to see." Explaining how social media works.
"High-frequency trading relies on complex algorithms to execute thousands of trades per second, often faster than human traders can react." Discussing financial trading.

Memory hook

Imagine an 'AL GORILLA' following a 'RHYTHM' of steps to solve a puzzle. An ALGORITHM is a step-by-step process. Al Gorilla's Rhythm Steps

When not to use

Avoid using 'algorithm' as a vague stand-in for 'technology' or 'system' when a more specific term is appropriate. It refers to the process or rules, not the entire platform.

Fun facts

Before computers, 'algorism' referred specifically to the decimal number system, contrasting with 'abacism' (using an abacus).
The concept of algorithms predates modern computers by millennia, with ancient mathematical procedures being early forms.