The Algorithm Design Manual

Most professional programmers that I’ve encountered are not well prepared to tackle algorithm design problems. This is a pity, because the techniques of algorithm design form one of the core practical technologies of computer science. Designing correct, efficient, and implementable algorithms for real-world problems requires access to two distinct bodies of knowledge: • Techniques – Good algorithm designers understand several fundamental algorithm design techniques, including data structures, dynamic programming, depth first search, backtracking, and heuristics. Perhaps the single most important design technique is modeling, the art of abstracting a messy real-world application into a clean problem suitable for algorithmic attack. • Resources – Good algorithm designers stand on the shoulders of giants. Rather than laboring from scratch to produce a new algorithm for every task, they can figure out what is known about a particular problem. Rather than re-implementing popular algorithms from scratch, they seek existing implementations to serve as a starting point. They are familiar with many classic algorithmic problems, which provide sufficient source material to model most any application. This book is intended as a manual on algorithm design, providing access to combinatorial algorithm technology for both students and computer professionals. This newly expanded and updated second edition of the best-selling classic 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.The reader-friendly Algorithm Design Manual provides straightforward access to combinatorial algorithms technology, stressing design over analysis. The first part, Techniques, provides accessible instruction on methods for designing and analyzing computer algorithms. The second part, Resources, is intended for browsing and reference, and comprises the catalog of algorithmic resources, implementations and an extensive bibliography.NEW to the second edition:• Doubles the tutorial material and exercises over the first edition• Provides full online support for lecturers, and a completely updated and improved website component with lecture slides, audio and video• 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• Includes several NEW'war stories'relating experiences from real-world applications• Provides up-to-date links leading to the very best algorithm implementations available in C, C++, and Java This expanded and updated second edition of a classic bestseller continues to take the mystery out of designing and analyzing algorithms and their efficacy and efficiency. Expanding on the highly successful formula of the first edition, the book now serves as the primary textbook of choice for any algorithm design course while maintaining its status as the premier practical reference guide to algorithms. This new edition: (1) Incorporates twice the tutorial material and exercises; (2) Provides full online support for lecturers, and a completely updated and improved website component with lecture slides, audio and video; (3) Contains a highly unique catalog of the 75 most important algorithmic problems; (4) Includes new war stories and interview problems, relating experiences from real-world applications--Back cover Explaining designing algorithms, and analyzing their efficacy and efficiency, this book covers combinatorial algorithms technology, stressing design over analysis. It presents instruction on methods for designing and analyzing computer algorithms. It contains the catalog of algorithmic resources, implementations and a bibliography Expanding on the highly successful formula of the first edition, this book now serves as the primary textbook of choice for any algorithm design course while maintaining its status as the premier practical reference guide to algorithms.