How to Think About Algorithms

Name: How to Think About Algorithms
ISBN: 0521614104

by Jeff Edmonds · first published 2008

6mentions

4recommended by

4HN commenters

2012–2025first – last mentioned

100% recommend

Computer Science

This textbook, for second- or third-year students of computer science, presents insights, notations, and analogies to help them describe and think about algorithms like an expert, without grinding through lots of formal proof. Solutions to many problems are provided to let students check their progress, while class-tested PowerPoint slides are on the web for anyone running the course. By looking at both the big picture and easy step-by-step methods for developing algorithms, the author guides students around the common pitfalls. He stresses paradigms such as loop invariants and recursion to un

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psykotic · Aug 28, 2012 · Recommends

…like standard textbook treatments like CLRS, you might like these: Introduction to Algorithms - A Creative Approach by Udi Manber (out of print but worth getting). Algorithm Design by Klein and Tardos. How to Think About Algorithms by Jeff Edmonds. Jeff Erickson's lecture notes on algorithms: http://www.cs.uiuc.edu/~jeffe/teaching/algorithms/ Jon Bentley's Programming Pearls is about what I'd call algorithm engineering. The algorithms…
on “Damn Cool Algorithms: Homomorphic Hashing” ↗
nimeshneema · Jul 8, 2012 · Recommends

The best text-book I can suggest for you is: "How to Think About Algorithms - Loop Invariants and Recursion" By Jeff Edmonds. It takes you through all the relevant mathematics required to learn about basics of CS based topics you are looking for (algorithms, proofs and other…
on “Ask HN: Learn Math the Hard Way” ↗
raincom · Apr 7, 2019 · Recommends

http://cseweb.ucsd.edu/classes/sp05/cse101/JeffEdmondsBook.p... Jeff Edmonds' "How to Think About Algorithms: Loop Invariants and Recursion" is a nice book.
on “Loop invariants can give you coding superpowers” ↗
rramadass · Jun 20, 2019 · Recommends

…in C by Kruse, Leung and Tondo. 2) Algorithms in C (Parts1-4 and Part5 two-volume set) by Robert Sedgewick. 3) Compared to What? An Introduction to the Analysis of Algorithms by Gregory Rawlins. 4) How to think about Algorithms by Jeff Edmonds. 5) Advanced Data Structures by Peter Brass. Finally, study the ideas, concepts and techniques behind the C++ STL library to see how to design Data Structures and Algorithms in a clean…
on “Ask HN: How to get better at Data structures and Algorithm?” ↗
rramadass · Nov 15, 2021 · Recommends

…is a classic book which takes you by hand and walks you through Algorithm Analysis and the reqd. mathematics. You will find this more approachable than most other text books and well worth a study. * How to Think about Algorithms by Jeff Edmonds - Practical techniques without too much mathematical formalism. * Data Structure Techniques by Thomas Standish - A Classic text; good adjunct to more modern texts. * Advanced Data Structures…
on “Ask HN: Looking for a book on algorithms and data structures” ↗
rramadass · Jul 16, 2025 · Recommends

Folks might find the following two books useful in this regard; How to Think About Algorithms by Jeff Edmonds. Persuasive Programming by Jerud Mead and Anil Shinde.
on “To be a better programmer, write little proofs in your head” ↗