VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER ONE, SECTION 1.2. MATHEMATICAL PRELIMINARIES

 This section outlines the mathematical notations being used in TAOCP.

VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER ONE, SECTION 1.1. ALGORITHMS

 This section begins with an introduction to the etymology of the word "Algorithm". Following this a few basic algorithms are detailed. Knuth also outlines the five important features of an algorithm:

1) Finiteness. An algorithm must terminate after a finite number of steps.
2) Definiteness. Each step in an algorithm must be precisely defined.
3) Input. An algorithm has zero or more inputs.
4) Output. An algorithm has one or more outputs.
5) Effectiveness. An algorithm should have exactly the required number of steps it needs, and no more.

VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER ONE. BASIC CONCEPTS

 The following postings cover the main points of volume one, chapter one.

VOLUME ONE PREFACE

 Most importantly Knuth expresses the view that programming can be "an aesthetic experience much like composing poetry or music”.

The book is not an introduction to computer programming; the reader needs to have written some programs already to fully understand it. The main theme of the book can be considered “non-numerical analysis” or “analysis of algorithms” as it focuses on decision-making problems as opposed to mathematical problems.

To help make clear the techniques presented in the book Knuth has created his own “ideal” computer with simple rules of operation.

Knuth considers Volume I as being still under construction.

Welcome to the Great Knuth read

 

The Art of Computer Programming is a multi-part monograph written by Donald Knuth, which describes a range of computer algorithms. It is considered the most important collection of books in the field of computer science, and the most comprehensive treatment of algorithms. So far, the following volumes have been released;

• Volume 1 - Fundamental Algorithms (1968)
• Volume 2 - Seminumerical Algorithms (1969)
• Volume 3 - Sorting and Searching (1973)
• Volume 4A - Combinatorial Algorithms (2011)
  
• Volume 4B - Combinatorial Algorithms (2022)
  

Forthcoming volumes will include;

• Volume 4C - Combinatorial Algorithms
  
• Volume 4D - Combinatorial Algorithms
• Volume 5 - Syntactic Algorithms
• Volume 6 - Theory of Context-Free Languages
• Volume 7 - Compiler Techniques

Sections (or fascicles) of Volume 4 are currently being released for beta testing. For more information pop over to Knuth's website;
http://www-cs-faculty.stanford.edu/~knuth/taocp.html

This blog will document my reading of these mongraphs, think of this blog as a piece of performance art, building up slowly into something that will hopefully be both interesting and unexpected.