Algorithms Illuminated : Part 1: The Basics

Algorithms are the heart and soul of computer science. Their applications range from network routing and computational genomics to public-key cryptography and machine learning. Studying algorithms can make you a better programmer, a clearer thinker, and a master of technical interviews. Algorithms Illuminated is an accessible introduction to the subject for anyone with at least a little programming experience. The exposition emphasizes the big picture and conceptual understanding over low-level implementation and mathematical details---like a transcript of what an expert algorithms tutor would say over a series of one-on-one lessons. Part 1 covers asymptotic analysis and big-O notation, divide-and-conquer algorithms and the master method, randomized algorithms, and several famous algorithms for sorting and selection.

Tim Roughgarden is a Professor of Computer Science and (by courtesy) Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University, where he has taught and researched algorithms since 2004. This book is the first of a four-part series based on his online algorithms courses that have been running regularly since 2012.