An algorithm is a set of steps for solving a problem or accomplishing a task, typically executed by a computer. Learn how algorithms work, see examples of algorithms in everyday life and computer science, and discover the different types of algorithms. What is an algorithm? An algorithm is a procedure used for solving a problem or performing a computation . Algorithms act as an exact list of instructions that conduct specified actions step by step in either hardware- or software-based routines. Algorithms are widely used throughout all areas of IT. ALGORITHM definition : 1. a set of mathematical instructions or rules that, especially if given to a computer, will help…. Learn more. Algorithm, systematic procedure that produces—in a finite number of steps—the answer to a question or the solution of a problem . The name derives from the Latin translation, Algoritmi de numero Indorum, of a treatise by the 9th-century mathematician al-Khwarizmi.