The Algorithm Design Manual (Texts in Computer Science)

Product Information

The reader-friendly Algorithm Design Manual provides straightforward access to combinatorial algorithms technology, stressing design over analysis. The first part, Practical Algorithm Design, provides accessible instruction on methods for designing and analyzing computer algorithms. The second part, the Hitchhiker's Guide to Algorithms, is intended for browsing and reference, and comprises the catalog of algorithmic resources, implementations, and an extensive bibliography. This newly expanded and updated second edition continues to take the "mystery" out of designing algorithms, and analyzing their efficacy and efficiency. Expanding on the first edition, the book now serves as the primary textbook of choice for algorithm design courses while maintaining its status as the premier practical reference guide to algorithms for programmers, researchers, and students.

Data Structures: Repeatedly extracts the smallest remaining element from the unsorted part of the set but will take a total of O(n This newly expanded and updated third edition of the best-selling classic continues to take the "mystery" out of designing algorithms, and analyzing their efficiency. It serves as the primary textbook of choice for algorithm design courses and interview self-study, while maintaining its status as the premier practical reference guide to algorithms for programmers, researchers, and students.

Customer reviews

This book has covered most, if not all, of the fundamental topics in computer science at Bachelor of Science level, some selected topics in graduate level. Dr. Skiena did a very good job of explaining many of the subjects (concepts, data structures and algorithms) in a clear and concise manner. I like the most about his coverage on Data Structure and Graph. Some of the highlights of this book: I've read through the first half of the book, and am now at the catalog of algorithms that makes up the second half, and I've really enjoyed the book so far. It is wonderful to open to a random spot and discover an interesting algorithm. This is the only textbook I felt compelled to bring with me out of my student days.... The color really adds a lot of energy to the new edition of the book!" Contains a unique catalog identifying the 75 algorithmic problems that arise most often in practice, leading the reader down the right path to solve them

This book, however, takes a different approach, and serves as a guide book for using algorithms in the real world. There's a heavy emphasis on formulating problems in terms of existing, solved problems. If you can "map" your problem to one with a known solution, then you can use the proven, existing solution to solve your problem. To emphasize that point, roughly the entire second half of the book is a catalog of known problems and solutions, with references to software libraries, books and other sources of information. I also love that the example code is in C. Too many books give example code in languages with a lot of overhead, like Java, and end up obscuring the important parts with a ton of object-oriented crap. Yes - OOP is nice, but unless I'm reading a book on OOP, I don't want to dig through 30 lines of irrelevant boilerplate just to find the 10 lines relevant to the algorithm.

I love the exercises presented in this book, they are well crafted problems, very helpful in reinforcing the learning process. This is arguably the most important chapter of the book. Chapter 2 is all about algorithm analysis which is a critical skill to develop for your interviews. Learning how to problem solve your way to optimal solutions is something every interviewer is looking for. This chapter sets the foundation for the rest of the book. If nothing else, read this chapter and do the problems. The "no theorem-proof" style provides a uniquely accessible and intuitive approach to a challenging subject