Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - JHS 2
ALGORITHM
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
ALGORITHM
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Computing
Class: JHS 2
Term: 3rd Term
Week: 10
Grade code: B8.4.2.1.2
Strand code: 4
Sub-strand code: 2
Content standard code: B8.4.2.1
Indicator code: B8.4.2.1.2
Theme: COMPUTATIONAL THINKING
Subtheme: ALGORITHM
This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.
For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.
This lesson introduces the concept of an algorithm as the foundation of all computing. An algorithm is simply a step-by-step plan for solving a problem or completing a task. We use algorithms every day in Ghana, even without thinking about it – from the steps to prepare *banku*, to the process of withdrawing money from a Mobile Money (MoMo) agent, or the rules for playing a game of *ampe*. Understanding how to create and describe these plans logically is the first step towards telling a computer what to do. This lesson will focus on the three basic building blocks (control structures) that make up any algorithm: Sequence, Selection, and Iteration.
A. What is an Algorithm?
An algorithm is a finite, well-defined, step-by-step procedure or set of rules for solving a specific problem or accomplishing a task.
Think of it like a recipe for cooking jollof rice: You must follow the steps in a specific order. Each step is a clear instruction (e.g., "Wash the rice," "Cut the onions"). If you follow the steps correctly, you will end up with cooked jollof rice (the solution).
In computing, algorithms tell the computer exactly what to do to get from a problem to a solution. We can express algorithms using plain language, pseudocode, or diagrams like flowcharts. This lesson focuses on flowcharts. B. Basic Flowchart Symbols