A lot of Car Talk Puzzlers are classic examples of what computer scientists think about when learning to build algorithms. Above, Click and Clack (Ray and Tom Magliozzi) of Car Talk.

Algorithms are one of the four cornerstones of Computer Science. An algorithm is a plan, a set of step-by-step instructions to solve a problem. If you can tie shoelaces, make a cup of tea, get ...

Eternity in an Instant/Stone via Getty Images Finally, the last step of an algorithm is output – expressing the answer. To a computer, output is usually more data, just like input.

Science Novel algorithm for matrix multiplication opens door to more efficient human-computer interactions Graphic by Flora Meng Let's Talk Numbers is a column that seeks to foster awareness and ...