计算机的算法是什么？你了解吗？

　　英语科技类阅读系列第9篇 — 算法
　　Text: 961 words
　　Category: computing
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　　Explainer: What is an algorithm? 讲解员: 什么是算法?
　　Computers and others use these step-by-step rules to answer questions and process data.
　　计算机和其他设备使用这些循序渐进的规则来回答问题和处理数据
　　Back in the 9th century, a famous mathematician and astronomer made a lot of discoveries in science, math and the number system that we now use. His name was Muhammad ibn Mūsa al-Khwarizmī. His last name is Persian for the area of his birth: Khwãrezm. Over the centuries, as his fame grew, people outside the Middle East altered his name to Algoritmi. This version of his name would later be adapted as the English term that describes the step-by-step recipes we now known as algorithms.
　　早在9世纪，一位著名的数学家和天文学家在科学、数学和我们现在使用的数字系统方面做出了很多发现。他的名字叫穆罕默德-伊本-穆萨-赫瓦里兹米。他的姓是波斯语，表示他出生的地区: 赫瓦里兹米。几个世纪以来，随着他的名气越来越大，中东以外的人把他的名字改为阿尔戈里特米。他的这个名字后来被改编为英语术语，描述我们现在所知的算法，就如一步一步做饭的食谱。
　　An algorithm is a precise step-by-step series of rules that leads to a product or to the solution to a problem. One good example is a recipe.
　　算法是一套精确的、按部就班的规则，这些规则会导致产品或问题的解决方案。一个很好的例子就是食谱。
　　When bakers follow a recipe to make a cake, they end up with cake. If you follow that recipe precisely, time after time your cake will taste the same. But deviate from that recipe, even a little, and what emerges from the oven may disappoint your taste buds.
　　当面包师按照食谱制作蛋糕时，他们最终得到的是蛋糕。如果你严格按照这个食谱做，你的蛋糕尝起来还是一样的。但如果偏离这个食谱，哪怕只是一点点，从烤箱里出来的东西可能会让你的味蕾失望。
　　Some steps in an algorithm depend on what happened or was learned in earlier steps. Consider the cake example. Dry ingredients and wet ingredients might need to be combined in separate bowls before they can be mixed together. Similarly, some cookie batters must be chilled before they can be rolled out and cut into shapes. And some recipes call for the oven to be set to one temperature for the first few minutes of baking, and then changed for the rest of the cooking or baking time.
　　算法中的一些步骤取决于在之前的步骤中发生了什么或学到了什么。考虑蛋糕的例子。干食材和湿食材可能需要在混合之前分别在不同的碗中混合。同样，一些饼干面糊在擀开和切成形状之前必须先冷却。有些食谱要求在烘焙的前几分钟将烤箱的温度设置为一个温度，然后在剩下的烹饪或烘焙时间里改变温度。
　　We even use algorithms to make choices throughout the week.
　　我们甚至用算法来做选择
　　Let’s say you have an afternoon with nothing planned — no family activities, no chores. To settle on what to do, you will likely think through a series of smaller questions (or steps). For instance: Do you want to spend time alone or with a friend? Do you want to stay inside or go out? Do you prefer to play a game or watch a movie?
　　让我们假设你有一个没有计划的下午没有家庭活动，没有家务。在决定要做什么时，你可能会考虑一系列较小的问题(或步骤)。例如:你想独处还是和朋友在一起?你想呆在家里还是出去?你喜欢玩游戏还是看电影  ?
　　At each step you will consider one or more things. Some of your choices will depend on data you gathered from other sources, such as the weather forecast. Perhaps you realize that (1) your best friend is available, (2) the weather is warm and sunny, and (3) you’d love to play basketball. Then you might decide to go to a nearby park so the two of you can shoot hoops. At each step, you made a small choice that got you closer to your ultimate decision. (You can create a flowchart that lets you map the steps to a decision.)
　　每一步你都要考虑一件或多件事情。您的一些选择将取决于您从其他来源收集的数据，如天气预报。也许你意识到:(1)你最好的朋友就在身边;(2)天气温暖、阳光灿烂;(3)你会喜欢打篮球。然后你可能会决定去附近的公园，这样你们两个就可以打篮球了。每一步，你都做了一个小的选择，让你更接近最终的决定。(您可以创建一个流程图，以便将步骤映射到决策。)
　　Computers use algorithms, too. These are the sets of instructions a computer program must follow in order. Instead of a step in a cake recipe (such as mix flour with baking powder), the computer’s steps are equations or rules.
　　计算机也使用算法。这些是计算机程序必须按顺序执行的指令集。电脑的步骤不是制作蛋糕的步骤(把面粉和发酵粉混合)，而是方程式或规则。
　　Awash in algorithms 沉浸在算法里
　　Algorithms are everywhere in computers. The most well-known example might be a search engine, such as Google. To find the closest veterinarian that treats snakes or the fastest route to school, you might type the relevant question into Google and then review its list of possible solutions.
　　算法在计算机中无处不在。最著名的例子可能是搜索引擎，例如谷歌。为了找到最近的治疗蛇的兽医或去学校的最快路线，你可以把相关的问题输入谷歌，然后查看可能的解决方案列表。
　　Mathematicians and computer scientists designed the algorithms that Google uses. They realized that searching the whole internet for the words in every question would take too long. One shortcut: Count the links between webpages, then give extra credit to pages with lots of links to and from other pages. Pages with more links to and from other pages will rank higher in the list of possible solutions that emerge from the search request.
　　数学家和计算机科学家设计了谷歌使用的算法。他们意识到在整个互联网上搜索每个问题的单词会花费太多时间。一个快捷方法是:计算网页之间的链接，然后给那些与其他网页有大量链接的页面额外加分。与其他页面有更多链接的页面将在搜索请求中出现的可能解决方案列表中排名更高。
　　Many computer algorithms seek new data as they work through a solution to some problem. A map app on a smartphone, for example, contains algorithms designed to find the fastest route or perhaps the shortest one. Some algorithms will connect to other databases to identify new construction zones (to avoid) or even recent accidents (which can tie up traffic). The app also may help drivers follow a chosen route.
　　许多计算机算法在解决某些问题时寻找新的数据。例如，智能手机上的一款地图应用程序包含了旨在找到最快或最短路线的算法。一些算法将连接到其他数据库，以识别新的建筑区域(以避免)，甚至是最近的事故(可能会堵塞交通)。该应用程序还可以帮助司机遵循选定的路线。
　　Algorithms can become complex as they gather lots of data from different sources to reach one or more solutions. The steps in most algorithms must follow a set order. Those steps are called dependencies.
　　算法可能会变得复杂，因为它们从不同的来源收集大量的数据，以达到一个或多个解决方案。大多数算法的步骤都必须遵循一定的顺序。这些步骤称为依赖项。
　　One example is an if/then statement. You acted like a computer algorithm when you decided how to spend your afternoon. One step was to consider the weather. IF the weather is sunny and warm, THEN you (might) choose to go outside.
　　举个例子就是＂如果…那么…＂的陈述。当你决定如何度过你的下午时，你行为上就像一个计算机算法。第一步是考虑天气。如果天气晴朗温暖，那么你可能会选择外出。
　　Algorithms sometimes also glean data on how people have used their computers. They may track what stories or websites people have read. Those data are used to offer these people new stories. This can be helpful if they want to see more stuff from the same source or about the same topic. Such algorithms can be harmful, however, if they prevent or in some way discourage people from seeing new or different types of information.
　　算法有时也会收集人们如何使用电脑的数据。他们可能会追踪人们读过的故事或网站。这些数据被用来为这些人提供新的故事。如果他们想看到更多来自同一来源或关于同一主题的内容，这是很有帮助的。然而，如果这些算法阻止或以某种方式阻止人们看到新的或不同类型的信息，那么它们可能是有害的。
　　We use computer algorithms for so many things. New or improved ones emerge every day. For instance, specialized ones help explain how diseases spread. Some help predict the weather. Others choose investments in the stock market.
　　我们在很多事情上都使用计算机算法。每天都会出现新的或改进过的算法。例如，专门的算法有助于解释疾病是如何传播的。一些算法帮助预测天气。其他人则选择股票市场投资。
　　The future will include algorithms that teach computers how to better understand more complex data. This is the beginning of what people call machine learning: computers teaching computers.
　　未来将包括教计算机如何更好地理解更复杂的数据的算法。这就是人们所说的机器学习的开始:计算机教计算机  。
　　Another area being developed is a faster way to sort through images. There are apps that pull up possible plant names based on a photograph. Such tech currently works better on plants than it does on people. Apps that are designed to recognize faces may be fooled by haircuts, glasses, facial hair or bruises, for instance. These algorithms are still not as accurate as people tend to be. The trade-off: They’re much faster.
　　另一个正在开发的领域是快速分类图像的方法。有些应用程序可以根据照片找出可能的植物名称。这种技术目前在植物上比在人身上更有效。例如，用于识别人脸的应用程序可能会被发型、眼镜、面部毛发或擦伤所欺骗。这些算法仍然没有人们期望的那么精确。代价是:它们要快得多。