Algorithms

Terms related to procedures or formulas for solving a problem by conducting a sequence of specified actions. In computing, algorithms in the form of mathematical instructions play an important part in search, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

42 (h2g2, meaning of life, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) - In Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," 42 is the number from which all meaning ("the meaning of life, the universe, and everything") can be derived.
absolute truth - In general, absolute truth is whatever is always valid, regardless of parameters or context.
algorithmic transparency - Algorithmic transparency is openness about the purpose, structure and underlying actions of the algorithms used to search for, process and deliver information.
artificial neuron - An artificial neuron is a connection point in an artificial neural network.
autocorrect - Autocorrect is a word processing feature that identifies misspelled words, and uses algorithms to identify the words most likely to have been intended, and edits the text accordingly.
binary-coded decimal - Binary-coded decimal is a system of writing numerals that assigns a four-digit binary code to each digit 0 through 9 in a decimal (base 10) number.
Boolean - In computing, the term Boolean means a result that can only have one of two possible values: true or false.
cellular automaton (CA) - A cellular automaton (CA) is a collection of cells arranged in a grid of specified shape, such that each cell changes state as a function of time, according to a defined set of rules driven by the states of neighboring cells.
cipher - In cryptography, a cipher is an algorithm for encrypting and decrypting data.
cloaking - Cloaking is a technique where a different version of web content is returned to users than to the search engine crawlers.
correlation - Correlation is a statistical measure that indicates the extent to which two or more variables fluctuate in relation to each other.
correlation coefficient - A correlation coefficient is a statistical measure of the degree to which changes to the value of one variable predict change to the value of another.
cryptographic checksum - Generated by a cryptographic algorithm, a cryptographic checksum is a mathematical value assigned to a file sent through a network for verifying that the data contained in that file is unchanged.
data analytics (DA) - Data analytics (DA) is the process of examining data sets to find trends and draw conclusions about the information they contain.
data literacy - Data literacy is the ability to derive meaningful information from data, just as literacy in general is the ability to derive information from the written word.
data point - A data point is a discrete unit of information.
de-anonymization (deanonymization) - De-anonymization is a method used to detect the original data that was subjected to processes to make it impossible -- or at least harder -- to identify the personally identifiable information (PII).
decimal - Decimal is a numbering system that uses a base-10 representation for numeric values.
deconvolutional networks (deconvolutional neural networks) - Deconvolutional networks are convolutional neural networks (CNN) that work in a reversed process.
deductive argument - A deductive argument is a logic construct with two or more premises and a conclusion where if the premises are true then the conclusion must also be true.
deductive reasoning - Deductive reasoning is a logical process in which a conclusion is based on the accordance of multiple premises that are generally assumed to be true.
degree per second - The degree per second is a unit of angular (rotational) speed.
dependent variable - A dependent variable is a variable whose value depends upon independent variable s.
digital process automation - Digital process automation (DPA) uses low-code development tools to automate processes that can span multiple applications.
Digital Signature Standard (DSS) - The Digital Signature Standard (DSS) is a digital signature algorithm (DSA) developed by the U.
discrete event simulation (DES) - Discrete event simulation (DES) is the process of codifying the behavior of a complex system as an ordered sequence of well-defined events.
dot product (scalar product) - The dot product, also called scalar product, is a measure of how closely two vectors align with each other, in terms of the directions they point.
edge analytics - Edge analytics is an approach to data collection and analysis in which an automated analytical computation is performed on data at a sensor, network switch or other device instead of waiting for the data to be sent back to a centralized data store.
element - An element is a fundamental item that can't be easily broken into smaller pieces.
element-of symbol - The element-of symbol is used in mathematical set theory to indicate that a point, object or number belongs to a certain set.
encryption key - In cryptography, an encryption key is a variable value that is applied using an algorithm to a string or block of unencrypted text to produce encrypted text or to decrypt encrypted text.
ensemble modeling - Ensemble modeling is the process of running two or more related but different analytical models and then synthesizing the results into a single score or spread.
Ethereum - Ethereum is an open source, distributed software platform based on blockchain technology.
evolutionary algorithm - An evolutionary algorithm (EA) is an algorithm that uses mechanisms inspired by nature and solves problems through processes that emulate the behaviors of living organisms.
exponential function - An exponential function is a mathematical function used to calculate the exponential growth or decay of a given set of data.
Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) - Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) is an eight-bit encoding scheme that standardizes how alphanumeric characters, punctuation and other symbols are interpreted by a computer's operating system (OS) and applications.
extrapolation and interpolation - Extrapolation refers to estimating an unknown value based on extending a known sequence of values or facts.
facial recognition - Facial recognition is a category of biometric software that maps an individual's facial features to confirm their identity.
fan-out - In digital circuitry, fan-out is a measure of the maximum number of digital inputs that the output of a single logic gate can feed without disrupting the circuitry's operations.
Fibonacci sequence - The Fibonacci sequence is a set of integers (the Fibonacci numbers) that starts with a zero, followed by a one, then by another one, and then by a series of steadily increasing numbers.
fuzzy search - A fuzzy search is a technique that uses search algorithms to find strings that match patterns approximately.
garbage in, garbage out (GIGO) - Garbage in, garbage out, or GIGO, refers to the idea that in any system, the quality of output is determined by the quality of the input.
Google Duplex - Google Duplex is an artificial intelligence (AI) technology that mimics a human voice and makes phone calls on a person's behalf.
googol and googolplex - A googol is 10 to the 100th power, which is 1 followed by 100 zeros.
gradient descent - Gradient descent is an optimization algorithm that refines a machine learning (ML) model's parameters to create a more accurate model.
Hamming code - Hamming code is an error correction system that can detect and correct errors when data is stored or transmitted.
image compression - Image compression is a process applied to a graphics file to minimize its size in bytes without degrading image quality below an acceptable threshold.
inductive reasoning - Inductive reasoning is a logical process in which multiple premises, all believed true or found true most of the time, are combined to obtain a specific conclusion.
International Data Encryption Algorithm (IDEA) - The International Data Encryption Algorithm (IDEA) is a symmetric key block cipher encryption algorithm designed to encrypt text to an unreadable format for transmission via the internet.
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) - JPEG (pronounced JAY-peg) is a graphic image file compressed with lossy compression using the standard developed by the ISO/IEC Joint Photographic Experts Group.
Karnaugh map (K-map) - A Karnaugh map (K-map) is a visual method used to simplify the algebraic expressions in Boolean functions without having to resort to complex theorems or equation manipulations.
knowledge engineering - Knowledge engineering is a field of artificial intelligence (AI) that tries to emulate the judgment and behavior of a human expert in a given field.
law of large numbers - The law of large numbers is a principle of probability according to which the frequencies of events with the same likelihood of occurrence even out, given enough trials or instances.
leaky bucket algorithm - The leaky bucket algorithm is a "traffic shaping" algorithm to reduce the load the transport layer places on the network layer and reduce congestion in the network.
logical negation symbol - The logical negation symbol is used in Boolean algebra to indicate that the truth value of the statement that follows is reversed.
logistic regression - Logistic regression, also known as a logit model, is a statistical analysis method to predict a binary outcome, such as yes or no, based on prior observations of a data set.
Luhn algorithm (modulus 10) - The Luhn algorithm, also called modulus 10 or modulus 10 algorithm, is a simple mathematical formula used to validate a user's identification numbers.
Markov model - A Markov model is a stochastic method for randomly changing systems that possess the Markov property.
MD5 - The MD5 (message-digest algorithm) hashing algorithm is a one-way cryptographic function that accepts a message of any length as input and returns as output a fixed-length digest value to be used for authenticating the original message.
most significant bit (MSB) - The most significant bit (MSB) is the bit in a multiple-bit binary number with the largest value.
natural number - A natural number is a number that occurs commonly and obviously in nature.
normal distribution - A normal distribution is a type of continuous probability distribution in which most data points cluster toward the middle of the range, while the rest taper off symmetrically toward either extreme.
operation (computing) - An operation, in computing, is an action that is carried out to accomplish a given task.
operator - In mathematics and computer programming, an operator is a character that represents a specific mathematical or logical action or process.
order of magnitude - An order of magnitude is an exponential change of plus or minus 1 in the value of a quantity or unit.
outlier - An outlier is a single data point that goes far outside the average value of a group of statistics.
Q format - Q (number) format is a fixed-point method of coding fractional and whole integers for processing by a computer’s CPU or a digital signal processor (DSP).
random numbers - As the term suggests, a random number is a number chosen by chance -- i.
recurrent neural networks - A recurrent neural network (RNN) is a type of artificial neural network commonly used in speech recognition and natural language processing.
Rijndael - Rijndael (pronounced rain-dahl) is an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm.
round robin - A round robin is an arrangement of choosing all elements in a group equally in some rational order, usually from the top to the bottom of a list and then starting again at the top of the list and so on.
rounding error - Rounding error is the difference between a rounded-off numerical value and the actual value.
second (s or sec) - The second (s or sec) is the International System of Units (SI) unit of time measurement.
space - Space is a term that can refer to various phenomena in science, mathematics and computing and generally encompasses the concept of an area or region.
specific gravity - Specific gravity, more formally known as relative density, is a measure of the density of a substance in comparison to the density of water.
square meter (meter squared) - The square meter, also called the meter squared, is the International System of Units (SI) unit of area.
standing wave ratio (SWR) - Standing wave ratio (SWR) is the ratio of the maximum magnitude or amplitude of a standing wave to its minimum magnitude.
statistical analysis - Statistical analysis is the collection and interpretation of data in order to uncover patterns and trends.
STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) - STEM is an educational approach that prepares primary and secondary students for college, graduate study and careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Top searches of 2008 - What were people searching the WhatIs.
truncation error - A truncation error is the difference between an actual and a truncated, or cut-off, value.
truth table - A truth table is a breakdown of all the possible truth values returned by a logical expression.
What are AI hallucinations and why are they a problem? - An AI hallucination is when a large language model (LLM) powering an artificial intelligence (AI) system generates false information or misleading results, often leading to incorrect human decision-making.
What are diffusion models? - Diffusion models are a category of generative AI that excels at creating images, audio, video and other types of data by using a two-step process: forward diffusion and reverse diffusion.
What are machine learning algorithms? 12 types explained - A machine learning algorithm is the method by which the AI system conducts its task, generally predicting output values from given input data.
What are vision language models (VLMs)? - Vision language models (VLMs) are a type of artificial intelligence (AI) model that can understand and generate text about images.
What is a backpropagation algorithm? - A backpropagation algorithm, or backward propagation of errors, is an algorithm that's used to help train neural network models.
What is a block cipher? - A block cipher is a method of encrypting data in blocks to produce ciphertext using a cryptographic key and algorithm.
What is a Consensus Algorithm? - A consensus algorithm is a process in computer science used to achieve agreement on a single data value among distributed processes or systems.
What is a convolutional neural network (CNN)? - A convolutional neural network (CNN) is a category of machine learning model.
What is a generative adversarial network (GAN)? - A generative adversarial network (GAN) is a machine learning (ML) model in which two neural networks compete by using deep learning methods to become more accurate in their predictions.
What is a perceptron? - A perceptron is a simple model of a biological neuron used in an artificial neural network.
What is a support vector machine (SVM)? - A support vector machine (SVM) is a type of supervised learning algorithm used in machine learning to solve classification and regression tasks.
What is a unique identifier (UID)? - A unique identifier (UID) is a numeric or alphanumeric string that is associated with a single entity within a given system.
What is a UUID (Universally Unique Identifier)? - A UUID (Universal Unique Identifier) is a 128-bit value used to uniquely identify an object or entity on the internet.
What is AI (Artificial Intelligence)? Definition, Types, Examples & Use Cases - Artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems.
What is AI ethics? - AI ethics is a system of moral principles and techniques intended to inform the development and responsible use of artificial intelligence technology.
What is an algorithm? - An algorithm is a procedure used for solving a problem or performing a computation.
What is an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and how does it work? - An arithmetic logic unit (ALU) is a part of a central processing unit (CPU) that carries out arithmetic and logic operations.
What is an autoregressive model? - An autoregressive model is a category of machine learning models in which algorithms predict future data based on a series of their own past data.