Algorithms are the fundamental procedures that guide computers in solving problems, from simple calculations to complex data analysis. At their core, an algorithm is a set of step-by-step instructions ...

Grade school math students are likely familiar with teachers admonishing them not to just guess the answer to a problem. But a new proof establishes that, in fact, the right kind of guessing is ...

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. For computer scientists, solving problems is a bit like mountaineering. First they must choose a problem to solve—akin to identifying a ...