Approach to learning algorithms using a specific language

Question

So for the summer I decided that I may as well start learning algorithms before school starts. I've been told that the class is fairly fast paced, and that algorithms isn't something you should take lightly (I have a tendency to do this with all the course work during the semester lol).

The book we're going to use is this Algorithms (4th Edition). Anyway, this is my problem.

I'm almost third way through the book, but I just realized what I was doing. For example, I would read and re-read the sections I don't quite understand. Then if I feel confident enough, I would try to reproduce the same algorithm in java from my head. But by doing this, my code looks almost exactly like the ones in the book..in java.

I can't say I'm just memorizing code after code--I do understand the concepts and they help me code these algorithms--but I feel like I'll only be able to implement these algorithms in java. I should note that I only know java at the moment.

tldr: I'm learning algorithms as if I'm learning to play the guitar--repetition after repetition. But by doing so I feel like I'm being more fixated that I'll only able to implement these in java. How exactly would you learn algorithms if the book you're using is language-specific?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Don't Confuse Yourself

You're studying Java, so write them in Java. Especially if Java is your first language. Don't confuse yourself for now, as you are trying to learn 2 things at once: how to progam in Java, and how to progam. You're learning both a new language and a way of thinking. Don't do too much but adding another language to the sauce for now.

Diversify

Later on, or if you feel confident enough that you can take on another language simultaneously, then it would obviously be beneficial to learn another one and try to replicate the algorithms without looking at the book.

Reproduce and Extend

What we could recommend you is to look for derivates of the algorithms. Known variants, that have been documented, and where you could just read the description of the variant so you can try to implement it from the "base" version, without needing to read the book.

For instance, if your book introduced you to a linked list, you should be able to come up with the algorithm for a doubly-linked list or a circular linked list without reading more than a description of the desired outcome. Or there's something about the original concepts that you clearly misunderstood.

Try First, Read-On Later

I'd recommend you actually even try to implement the algorithms described in your book before they show them to you. The point of seeing Sedgewick's algorithm is to see a canonical implementation, which is considered a standard blueprint. If you just read the section leading up to the implementation (which hopefully is displayed first), then just sit down with the book, and try to figure out how you could do that. If you can't do that at all, then you're too far ahead in your book and should backtrack and start again from scratch.

Answer 2

Thing about algorithms, they're essentially language-agnostic. There's really nothing stopping you from doing Sedgewick's examples in C, Python or some other language.

If you really don't know any other languages, concentrate on Java. Sure, its a bit repetitious, but those bits will stick in your head in a good way and come test time, you'll be glad for the information.

You're in an interesting position right now, since the kind of thinking required to write programs is very different from normal thinking. Add to that the fact you're learning a whole new language with a different syntax, punctuation and the like. Practice really does make perfect, since there are many bits and pieces to remember.

Oh, if you want practice with algorithms, try out project euler, code kata and other challenge sites. These little challenges can help you familiarize yourself with the language as well as get comfortable with the type of thinking required.