Algorithms For Dummies, 2nd Edition is the math book that you wanted in college but didn’t get. You discover, for example, that algorithms aren’t new. After all, the Babylonians used algorithms to perform simple tasks as early as 1,600 BC. If the Babylonians could figure this stuff out, certainly you can, too! This book actually has three things that you won’t find in most math books:
Part of the emphasis of this book is on using the right tools. This book uses Python to perform various tasks. Python has special features that make working with algorithms significantly easier. For example, Python provides access to a huge array of packages that let you do just about anything you can imagine, and more than a few that you can’t. However, unlike many texts that use Python, this one doesn’t bury you in packages. We use a select group of packages that provide great flexibility with a lot of functionality but don’t require you to pay anything. You can go through this entire book without forking over a cent of your hard-earned money.
You also discover some interesting techniques in this book. The most important is that you don’t just see the algorithms used to perform tasks; you also get an explanation of how the algorithms work. Unlike many other books, Algorithms For Dummies, 2nd Edition enables you to fully understand what you’re doing, but without requiring you to have a PhD in math. Every one of the examples shows the expected output and tells you why that output is important. You aren’t left with the feeling that something is missing.
