AQA · GCSE · Computer Science
Course version: 8525 · Version from Sept 2020
Understand and explain the term algorithm. An algorithm is a sequence of…
Full specification wording
Representing algorithms: Understand and explain the term algorithm. An algorithm is a sequence of steps that can be followed to complete a task.
An algorithm is a sequence of steps that can be followed to complete a task.
Checked against the AQA 8525 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 1 of 8
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
An algorithm is a sequence of steps that can be followed to complete a task. The two ideas that must both be present are order (a sequence, not a random collection) and purpose (the steps lead to completing a specified task). A recipe, a set of directions or the steps for calculating an average can all be algorithms if each step is clear and the order is fixed. A good answer distinguishes an algorithm from a single instruction, from a description of what a program looks like, and from a result. It also recognises that the same task can be solved by different algorithms, and that a sequence must be unambiguous enough for someone or something to follow it. In a multiple-choice question, look for the option that mentions both ordered steps and completing a task.
What earns the marks
- States that an algorithm is a sequence of steps, so the order of the steps matters.
- States that following the steps completes a specified task.
- Recognises that an algorithm is not a single instruction but an ordered set of steps.
- Recognises that different algorithms can complete the same task.
- Distinguishes an algorithm from the output or result it produces.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Treating any list of instructions as an algorithm without checking the steps are ordered towards a task.
Put it right: Require both sequence and a defined task.
Confusing an algorithm with the program code that implements it.
Put it right: The algorithm is the sequence of steps, which can be represented in different ways.
Assuming an algorithm must produce only one possible answer.
Put it right: An algorithm can still be a valid sequence even when different algorithms solve the same task.
Exam tips
- Underline the words sequence and task in the question before choosing an option.
- Reject options that describe only a single step or only a result.
- Check that the chosen option explains both the order of steps and the completion of a task.
Try the lesson
The start of the Representing algorithms: Understand and explain the term algorithm. An algorithm is a sequence of steps that can be followed to complete a task. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
A recipe for making a cup of tea lists: boil water, put a tea bag in a cup, pour water into the cup, wait three minutes, remove the tea bag, add milk. Which term best describes this list?
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