ABSTRACT
Mathematics requires both precision of thought and precision of language. To do mathematics by yourself, precise thought may, perhaps, be sufficient. But to communicate mathematics to others, precise language is essential. In this chapter we’ll focus on one of the most important entities used to communicate mathematical thoughts: the algorithm. Algorithms are a central theme in this book. They are crucial for solving many sorts of problems and interesting in themselves. Because algorithms provide a precise way to communicate mathematical thoughts, we can use mathematics to analyze them and to determine if they are correct.
