Objectives
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How to approach solutions to problems
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What an algorithm is
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Where algorithms arise in everyday life and in engineering contexts
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How to “think algorithmically”
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How to write pseudocode
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How to create flowcharts
Introduction
Professional engineers are well known for their ability to solve complex problems. Throughout the rest of this book, we will continue to learn how to use MATLAB as a tool to solve problems. However, before we jump back into MATLAB syntax and usage, it is important to remember the end goal: to learn how to solve problems algorithmically.
In the spirit of learning how to think algorithmically, in this chapter you will be presented with material that will help you start to think like a computer. The key to it all is to remember that computers are really, really, really, dumb.
In this chapter, we will take a break from MATLAB to learn how to think algorithmically. That means we will explore the following:
