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.cursor/rules/roblox/education/resources/coding-concept-algorithms.md

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+---
+title: Coding concept - Algorithms
+description: Learn about algorithms and creating your own practical applications.
+---
+
+## Algorithms in real life and in code
+
+An **algorithm** uses a series of steps to determine an outcome. Steps can be a set of directions, comparisons, or even a mathematical formula.
+
+Your daily life is full of algorithms that you use without thinking about it. They help you make decisions, create things, and solve problems.
+
+**Real life examples:**
+
+- Checking if you have enough money to buy a snack.
+- Getting dressed in the morning.
+- Drawing stick figures.
+
+**Coding examples:**
+
+- Checking if a skill level is high enough to use an item.
+- Sorting a list of items into alphabetical order.
+- A player standing on lava loses 5 health every second. If they reach 0, they respawn.
+
+<Alert severity="success">
+<AlertTitle>Offline Activity: Stick Figure Algorithms</AlertTitle>
+Stick figures are something that everyone knows how to draw, but rarely think about. This is because we all have an internal stick figure algorithm.
+
+- Have everyone draw a stick figure.
+- Have everyone write down the steps they took.
+- Pair up students and have one student direct the second student using the directions they wrote down previously.
+
+</Alert>
+
+## Create algorithms in code
+
+In real life, we don't usually think about the algorithms we use everyday. Computers however, need algorithms to be coded step-by-step and use at least one of three methods to solve a problem or produce an outcome.
+
+<table>
+<thead>
+   <tr>
+    <th width="50%">Methodology</th>
+    <th width="50%">Example</th>
+   </tr>
+</thead>
+<tbody>
+   <tr>
+    <td>**Selection** - Uses conditional statements such as if/then to determine an output.</td>
+    <td>
+    ```lua
+    if time == 0 then
+    	stopLightColor = red
+    end
+    ```
+    </td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td>
+      **Sequencing** - A set of precise steps.
+    </td>
+    <td>
+    ```lua
+    local function createBridge()
+      create new block
+      size block
+      set color
+      rotate
+      set location
+      parent to workspace
+    end
+    ```
+    </td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td>
+      **Iteration** - Repeats parts of the code as necessary, such as in for loops or multiplication.
+    </td>
+    <td>
+    ```lua
+    for countDown = 10, 1, -1 do
+    	time -= 1
+    	task.wait(1)
+    end
+    ```
+    </td>
+  </tr>
+</tbody>
+</table>
+
+## Combine algorithms
+
+Much like larger problems can be broken into smaller problems, some algorithms can be broken down into a series of smaller algorithms.
+
+<img src="../../assets/education/coding-6/coding-concept-algorithms/square-and-child-squares.png" width="50%" />
+
+Think of your real-life morning time algorithm to get dressed. If that's your main algorithm, it might use one algorithm for picking out your clothes, and a second algorithm for putting clothes on.
+
+```lua title="Getting Dressed Pseudocode"
+-- First algorithm for picking clothes
+local function pickClothes()
+    pick top clothing
+    pick bottom clothing
+    pick Socks
+    pick Shoes
+end
+
+-- Second algorithm for putting clothes on
+
+local function putOnClothes()
+    put on top clothing
+    put on bottom clothing
+    put on socks
+    put on shoes
+end
+
+-- Main algorithm, calls pickClothes()and putOnClothes()
+local function getDressed()
+    pickClothes()
+    putOnClothes()
+end
+```
+
+<Alert severity="success">
+<AlertTitle>Challenge - Divide pickClothes() Into Additional Algorithms</AlertTitle>
+What are additional algorithms pickClothes() might use?
+
+- Check the weather.
+- Check if clothes are clean.
+- Check if clothes match.
+
+</Alert>
+
+<Alert severity="info">
+<AlertTitle>Discussion - Algorithms for Game Mechanics</AlertTitle>
+What additional algorithms might be used by the main algorithm of the following game mechanics?
+
+- A timed bridge.
+- A shop that sells items.
+- An item that gives a random powerup.
+
+</Alert>
+
+## Summary
+
+**Algorithms** are predefined steps that provide an outcome. In daily life, algorithms solve problems like getting dressed, going to work, or making a cake. In code, algorithms solve problems like managing websites, handling traffic congestion, or running game mechanics. To complete their goal, algorithms will often call on other algorithms.
+
+Algorithms use three different ways to come to a conclusion; **selection**, **iteration**, and **sequencing**. Selection uses conditionals such as if/then statements. Iteration repeats parts of the code as necessary. Sequencing uses a series of steps to produce a result.