I hated algorithm classes at university. I was always more into electronics, networking and system programming. However, in my current position as a senior engineer and interviewer, I frequently find myself in a position where I need to check people's thinking skills or give them suggestions how to improve their code. After solving some interview questions myself, I noticed I forgot many optimal ways of solving problems. Problems, for which mathematically proven optimal solutions exist. To that end, I want to re-learn a couple of major algorithms. to both improve my design skills and my interview skills.
My plan is as follows:
- Implement at least one algorithm/data structure from the following categories:
- Sorting
- Tree traversal
- Dynamic programming (Dijkstra, A*)
- Heap
- Hashing algorithm
- Asymmetric cryptography
- Image processing (e.g. unsharp mask)
Each algorithm should be a single runnable file in Python.
I will implement the algorithm based on the description, note down my questions as I code, then reimplement after reading on the best known solution.