Algorithms & Problem Solving

17 interactive Computer Science simulations on algorithms & problem solving.

Translators – compiler, interpreter and assembler Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving The same short program is translated by a compiler, which checks the whole program, lists every syntax error and... Ages 15–16
Code Stepper – Variables, Data Types and Expressions Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving Step through a short Python or exam-style pseudocode program one line at a time. A variables table shows how each... Ages 15–16
Binary search trees – insert, search, delete and tree traversals Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving Insert, search for and delete keys in a binary search tree and watch the comparison path through each node, the tree... Ages 17–18
Recursion – call stack and call tree Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving Step through recursive functions – factorial, Fibonacci, sum of a list, binary search, the disk-moving tower puzzle... Ages 17–18
Functions and the call stack – parameters, return values and scope Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving Step through programs that call procedures and functions and watch each call push a stack frame: arguments bound to... Ages 15–16
Testing lab – test data, error types and data validation Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving Three hands-on activities about testing programs. Design normal, boundary, extreme and erroneous test data for a... Ages 13–14
Classes and objects – references, encapsulation and inheritance Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving Step through small Python or Java programs that define classes, create objects and call methods, and watch a memory... Ages 17–18
Arrays and lists – index, insert, remove and traverse Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving A list is shown as indexed cells with a pointer. Students read, write, append, insert and remove elements and watch... Ages 15–16
Finite state machines – traffic lights, DFAs, NFAs and regular languages Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving Step preset state machines (traffic light, vending machine, turnstile) through a sequence of events and watch the... Ages 15–16
Stacks, queues and linked lists – pointers step by step Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving Push and pop on a stack, enqueue and dequeue on linear, circular and priority queues, and insert, delete and search... Ages 17–18
Visual sorting: bubble, selection, insertion and merge sort step by step Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving A sequence of numbers is drawn as bars; choose bubble sort, selection sort, insertion sort or merge sort, then press... Ages 13–14
Flowchart and trace table – selection and iteration Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving The same algorithm is shown side by side as a flowchart and as pseudocode, Python or blocks. Students set the inputs... Ages 13–14
String tracer – indices, substrings and string algorithms Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving A string is drawn as a row of character cells indexed from 0. String operations mode covers concatenation, length,... Ages 15–16
Algorithm complexity – O(log n), O(n), O(n log n), O(n²) and a sorting race Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving A chart plots the number of steps against input size n for the functions log₂n, n, n·log₂n and n², alongside... Ages 15–16
Maze pathfinding – BFS, DFS and A* Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving A grid with walls, a start cell and a goal cell. Students choose breadth-first search (BFS, using a queue),... Ages 17–18
Linear search vs. binary search – counting comparisons Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving The same array and the same target value run through linear search (scanning from the start) and binary search... Ages 12–13
Community Towers of Hanoi Computer Science · Algorithms & Problem Solving Learn recursion by solving the Towers of Hanoi. Watch the call stack grow and shrink automatically, or try to solve...