Try again with a different robot and a different task, such as putting the jacket on inside out. Discuss how this relates to writing instructions for a computer. Since computers often organize millions of bits of information, computer programmers strive to create efficient algorithms that will perform a task in the fewest number of steps. The previous activity demonstrates that instructions must be clear. This activity demonstrates that there can be several sets of instructions that accomplish the same task-searching for a number.
Students act out two search methods.
One is simple, but usually slow. The second is more complex, but usually fast. The first program checks each member of the group in sequence to see who has the designated number. In a group of one million members, you would need on average 500,000 checks to find one member. In the second search method, the group is halved at each step.