In my last post on coding basics, I talked about turning an algorithm into code and used Euclid’s Algorithm as an example of programming a sequence of steps. There’s an even simpler type of algorithm that I want to look at this time.
A formula, such as the one for converting Fahrenheit to Celsius, is also a series of steps that must be performed in order to achieve the needed result. These calculations can be represented within C# or other programming languages to include the formula as part of a larger program.
If you’re doing a one-time conversion from Fahrenheit to Celsius, you’re probably going to pull out your pocket calculator or find a good conversion website and enter the necessary numbers. You can do that because either of those resources has the necessary interface to get the necessary input from you. If you’re including this calculation in a program, you need to design your own interface, process that user input from it and return the result to the user in some way. In the case of the pocket calculator or website, other programmers pondered these issues at some point and now it’s your turn.
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