A common way for computer programmers to solve problems is by using algorithms and a program design language. An algorithm is a finite list of well defined instructions for calculating a function. They are used to process data, and calculate. Computer programmers use pseudocode which is a just a compact and informal description of an algorithm. It uses somewhat uses a programming language but is mainly used for human reading rather than machine reading. Pseudocode will normally disregard unimportant details from the algorithm. Some of the things it will disregard are variable declarations, system specific codes, and subroutines.
In other words the computer programming language will include natural language to make it more understandable for people to read. Psuedocode does not have a standard syntax because it is not an executable program. Flowcharts can be used to show the same information as psuedocode, but flowcharts can become really big on paper, so it is better to use psuedocode for longer descriptions of the algorithm. Psuedocode is very common to see when reading a textbook on computer programming. Programmers will also sketch out the pseudocode on paper before writing it in the actual programming language.
Pseudocode is particularly helpful because it is not required to follow the rules of any particular language. Some of the more popular languages that programmers will use pseudocode with are Pacsal, BASIC, C, C++, Java, Lisp, and ALGOL. Any of the code that may include a loop are often replaced by a natural language sentence.
Psuedocode can be used in real life as well as in computer science to solve problems. It is always good practice to write things down in order to keep them organized, and also if you need to remember something important.
Writings down important information that we need to remember can help us get a better understanding of the information. After writing the information down then it may also be a good idea to write the information into words you can understand.
Now that the information is in a language that is understandable we can remember is better, as well as being organized. This can be particularly helpful when doing mathematical problems. Writing out the problem and working it down into more understandable form is a necessity when working on larger, more complicated problems. Using a flowchart can be just as helpful in real life because it is also easier to understand information in graphical form. Pictures are good way to make information stick to your memory.
