Computer Science / Unit 3 CS 0125 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Counting Steps
Captions available
The idea
An algorithm's cost is modeled by counting steps — one basic operation each: a lookup, an addition, a comparison — as a function of problem size.
In practice
Checking seven cards for one costs at most seven looks; the count is the analysis.
Where people slip
Pick the size measure first; counts mean nothing without it.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for Computer Science