Numeric Algorithms
Numeric Algorithm: Algorithm that solves a problem for which the answer is a number.
- These algorithms will always deal with imprecision due to physical limitations.
Imprecision: Computers have finite resources, but irrational numbers have infinite digits.
- Imprecision can accumulate across calculations.
Numeric V.S. Symbolic
Algorithms can be split in 2 categories:
- Numeric: Algorithms that can solve problems that the answer for which is a number(s).
- Symbolic: Algorithms where the answer is not a number.
- e.g., a program that returns “Hello World” is returning a symbolic sequence of characters.
Remember: More on Symbolic Algorithms
Symbolic algorithms aren’t defined by the output of literal symbols; it’s about how their output is symbolic.
- e.g., a function that outputs an integer could be interpreted symbolically.
“But a sequence of characters can be/is represented with numbers!”
- This is dead-end logic, you can interpret functions back-and-forth forever.