[Tutor] Python and algorithms

[Alan Gauld]

"C.T. Matsumoto" <c.t.matsumoto at gmail.com> wrote

>>> I'd say sharpening my problem solving skills. I thought that was often
>>> tied to building an algorithm. The example Walter Prins provided I
>>> thought fit what I was looking for.

> "To keep this simple and practical, as a suggestion, consider the problem 
> of sorting a list (a pack of cards, or a list of names or whatever you 
> want) into order."
>
> Yes, there are many built-ins that wrap good algorithms, so I guess I'm 
> leaning more toward problem solving. The above example must be solved 
> without using sorted() or list.sort().

OK, having read more I think Knuth will be too deep.

Try Programming Pearls by Jon Bentley.
It covers more than just algoprithm development and is full of useful
generic advice about writing programs (eg dangers of over optimisation
etc) but includes quite a lot on algorithm development. And its easy and
fun to read too.

You can probably get the earlier 2 volumes (try the first as a taster - I
see vol2 on Amazon.com for less than $5 and vol1 on Amazon.co.uk
for less than £1)  secondhand or the more recent combined single
volume.

Alan G