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Introduction to Algorithms: A Creative Approach by Udi Manber [pdf]

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Re: Introduction to Algorithms: A Creative Approach by Udi Manber [pdf]

#11

Post by tmoertel »

revskill wrote: post #7
thebigwinning wrote: post #6

This is a great book for teaching you how to invent algorithms. I use the skills i learned from it all the time.

Can you show some example(s) on the techniques ?

The general idea is that you develop the algorithm and the proof of correctness for the algorithm at the same time. The two views are duals in a certain sense, and each gives you insight about the other.

Re: Introduction to Algorithms: A Creative Approach by Udi Manber [pdf]

#12

Post by rodneyzeng »

debanjan16 wrote: post #2

Students learning Algorithms for the first time should never touch CLRS. It is the worst thing that a beginner can pick up. It is good as a reference text. Beginners should start with this. This book "actually" teaches you how algorithms are designed and how to break down problems into chunks and solve them using induction/recursion. Your mind will just be blown.

I think the main key is the teacher. I followed the teacher in the class and the course was using CLRS, and I did not feel anything hard in homework and exams as long as I fully understood what was taught during the class time.

Re: Introduction to Algorithms: A Creative Approach by Udi Manber [pdf]

#13

Post by theusus »

debanjan16 wrote: post #2

Students learning Algorithms for the first time should never touch CLRS. It is the worst thing that a beginner can pick up. It is good as a reference text. Beginners should start with this. This book "actually" teaches you how algorithms are designed and how to break down problems into chunks and solve them using induction/recursion. Your mind will just be blown.

CLRS barely touches the intuition part and that makes it worst from a beginner's perspective.

Re: Introduction to Algorithms: A Creative Approach by Udi Manber [pdf]

#14

Post by lambdaxymox »

debanjan16 wrote: post #2

Students learning Algorithms for the first time should never touch CLRS. It is the worst thing that a beginner can pick up. It is good as a reference text. Beginners should start with this. This book "actually" teaches you how algorithms are designed and how to break down problems into chunks and solve them using induction/recursion. Your mind will just be blown.

Maybe I'm different, but I used Kleinberg/Tardos and CLRS in my undergraduate algorithms class, and I preferred CLRS to KT and the other alternatives (Algorithm Design Manual, etc.), though KT was great too. I've heard from others that KT was better for them for learning how to actually design algorithms as well.

Re: Introduction to Algorithms: A Creative Approach by Udi Manber [pdf]

#15

Post by vector_spaces »

lambdaxymox wrote: post #14
debanjan16 wrote: post #2

Students learning Algorithms for the first time should never touch CLRS. It is the worst thing that a beginner can pick up. It is good as a reference text. Beginners should start with this. This book "actually" teaches you how algorithms are designed and how to break down problems into chunks and solve them using induction/recursion. Your mind will just be blown.

Maybe I'm different, but I used Kleinberg/Tardos and CLRS in my undergraduate algorithms class, and I preferred CLRS to KT and the other alternatives (Algorithm Design Manual, etc.), though KT was great too. I've heard from others that KT was better for them for learning how to actually design algorithms as well.

I had a similar experience. It may be that I have a math background and CLRS feels more like a math book than do other algo texts, but it was a breath of fresh air for me after looking at other popular texts that felt so much more handwavy. It felt so much more concise and the math arguments felt more compelling to me anyway. I mean, I am glad though that different texts exist because different people seem to benefit from different texts.

Re: Introduction to Algorithms: A Creative Approach by Udi Manber [pdf]

#18

Post by williamkuszmaul »

Overall seems like a great book. The hashing chapter is a bit half baked though. It claims without reservation that deletions simply cannot be efficiently implemented with linear probing. But there are at least two two efficient to do this (lazy deletions or just fix up the hash table), and both are worthwhile for students to know.

Re: Introduction to Algorithms: A Creative Approach by Udi Manber [pdf]

#19

Post by nicklaf »

haskellandchill wrote: post #3
debanjan16 wrote: post #2

Students learning Algorithms for the first time should never touch CLRS. It is the worst thing that a beginner can pick up. It is good as a reference text. Beginners should start with this. This book "actually" teaches you how algorithms are designed and how to break down problems into chunks and solve them using induction/recursion. Your mind will just be blown.

And if not a beginner I would go straight to chapter 5 "Design of Algorithms by Induction". One of my favorite algorithms books.

Notably, this material is based on an earlier paper on the design of algorithms by induction, also by the author: http://akira.ruc.dk/~keld/teaching/CSS_e10/Manber88.pdf

Re: Introduction to Algorithms: A Creative Approach by Udi Manber [pdf]

#20

Post by light_hue_1 »

debanjan16 wrote: post #2

Students learning Algorithms for the first time should never touch CLRS. It is the worst thing that a beginner can pick up. It is good as a reference text. Beginners should start with this. This book "actually" teaches you how algorithms are designed and how to break down problems into chunks and solve them using induction/recursion. Your mind will just be blown.

I loved CLRS! It was my first algorithms book in undergrad.

A beginner can and should pick it up if they love math and programming.

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