CPE 121

Data Structures and Algorithm

Introduction to
Data Structures
and Algorithm
WMSU Chapter 01

Engr. Monira O. Kamlian, MEngEd-ICT

College of Engineering
Department of Computer Engineering

For instructional purposes only

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
• define data structures and abstract data type;
• explain the importance of data structures in
programming;
• classify the types of data structures;
• identify the properties of an algorithm; and
• write an algorithm for a certain problem.

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Topic Outline
• Definition of Data Type, Data Structures and
Abstract Data Type (ADT)
• Classification of Data Structures
• Algorithms

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“I will, in fact, claim that the difference
between a bad programmer and a good one is
whether he considers his code or his data
structures more important. Bad programmers
worry about the code. Good programmers
worry about data structures and their
relationships.”
-- Linus Torvalds

For instructional purposes only

Data type
• Refers to the to the kind of data that variables
can assume, hold or take on in a programming
language and for which operations are
automatically provided.

Table 1.
Primitive data types in Java.
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Abstract Data Type (ADT)
• ADT is a mathematical model with a collection
of operations defined on the model.
• It specifies the type of data stored.
• It specifies what its operations do but not how
it is done.
• In Java, for example, ADT can be expressed
with an interface, which contains just a list of
methods.
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Abstract Data Type (ADT)…
• For example, the following is an interface of
the ADT stack

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Data Structures
• The way the data is organized in the
computer’s memory.
• It is the manner of collecting and organizing
the data so that it can be accessed in the most
effective way.
• It is the implementation of ADT in terms of the
data types or other data structures.
– In Java, for instance, a data structure is modeled
by a class.
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Classification of Data Structures

Figure 1. Classification of Data Structures For instructional purposes only

Primitive Data Structures
• considered to be the building blocks for
data manipulation
– these are the basic data types which are pre-
defined in the programming language and the
user cannot change it.
– These data types use single values which
specify the size and type of the data use
– Examples:
• Integer, Float, Double, Character, Pointer

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Non-Primitive Data Structures
• more complex data structures and are
derived from primitive data structures.
– Linear Data structures
• if its elements are connected linearly in logical or
sequential manner in memory location
• arrays, list, stacks, queues
– Non-linear
• shows a hierarchical relationship
• tress, graphs

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Algorithms
• a finite set of instructions that specify a
sequence of operations to be carried out in
order to solve a specific problem or class
of problems.

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For instructional purposes only
Symbols used in
Flowcharting

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 Getting the average of 3 numbers

1.Start 1. Start 1. start

2.Input value of x 2. Input A 2. set first number a
3.Input value of y 3. Input B 3. set second number b
4.Input value of z 4. Input C 4. set third number c
5.sum=x+y+z 5. D = A + B + C / 5. get the sum and divide it by 3 to get the average
6.avg=sum/3 3 6. end
7.output "avg" 6. Output D
8.End 7. End
1. Start
2. Output "please input 3 number"
1) declare variables n1, n2, n3, & sum as integer. avg as float
2) initialize values as 0
3. Input num x
3) enter the values 4. Input num y
4) add the numbers and store in variable sum 5. Input num z
5) print sum 6. Process ( int num x + int num y + int z = total)
6) divide the sun of the numbers by 3 and store in variable avg 7. Process (Total / 3 = average)
7) print avg 8. Output "the average is:"
9. Output average
10. End
1. Start
2. Declare x, y, z as integers; avg as float
3. Enter value for x, y, and z
4. Add the three numbers (x + y + z)
5. Divide the sum of the three numbers by 3
6. Output avg For instructional purposes only
7. End
Getting the average of 3 numbers

For instructional purposes only

 Activity #1
What does this algorithm represents?
1. BEGIN
2. NUMBER counter, sum=0, num
3. FOR counter=1 TO 10 STEP 1 DO
4. OUTPUT "Enter a Number"
5. INPUT num
6. IF num % 2 == 0 THEN
7. sum=sum+num
8. ENDIF
9. ENDFOR
10. OUTPUT sum
11.
12. END

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 Activity #2
Create an algorithm to solve the given problem

• A program that computes the sum of the

two given integer values. If the two values
are the same, then return triple their sum.

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Criteria for Algorithms
Every algorithm must satisfy the following criteria:
 Input - There are zero or more quantities which are externally
supplied.
 Output - At least one quantity is produced.
 Definiteness - Each instruction must be clear and unambiguous.
 Finiteness - If we trace out the instructions of an algorithm, then
for all cases, the algorithm will terminate after a finite number of
steps.
 Effectiveness - Every instruction must be sufficiently basic that it
can, in principle, be carried out by a person using only pencil and
paper. It is not enough that operation be definite as in #3, but
must it must be also feasible.
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 Let’s try to examine the code below.

• Input = There is no user input since the data from where to get the minimum is
already in the program.
• Output = The minimum value from the given set of input elements.
• Definiteness = Each step in the program is precisely defined.
• Finiteness = The declaration, the for loop and the statement to output will all take
a finite time to execute.
• Effectiveness = when run, it returns the minimum among the values in the array
so it is said to be effective. For instructional purposes only
 Assignment #2
Examine the given code below. Determine if the code adheres
to the criteria for algorithms. Discuss each criteria.

• Input ?
• Output ?
• Definiteness ?
• Finiteness ?
• Effectiveness ? For instructional purposes only
 Activity #5
What does this algorithm represents?
1. Input the number of the integers to compare; call it N.
2. Input the first integer; call it NUM1.
3. Input the second integer; call it LARGE.
4. Set up a counter representing the number of integers that
have been read; call it COUNT. Set COUNT to 2.
5. Compare NUM1 with LARGE; if NUM1 is greater than
LARGE, set LARGE to NUM1.
6. If COUNT equals N, display the value of LARGE and exit.
Otherwise, increment COUNT by 1 and input the next
integer to be compared.
7. Return to Step 5.
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• Activity #1 = done
• Activity #2 = due Aug 24, 2022
• Activity #3,4,5 = due Aug 26, 2022 not
later than 2PM

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References:
• Data Structures. JEDI Course Notes
• Goodric ,M, Tamassia,R. Data Structures in
Algorithms in JAVA. 4th edition.

For instructional purposes only