Definition of an Algorithm: An algorithm is a step-by-step procedure or a set of rules designed to solve a specific problem or accomplish a defined task in a finite amount of time. It is a well-defined computational process that takes input and produces output. *** Characteristics of an Algorithm *** An algorithm must satisfy the following characteristics: Input: The algorithm should have well-defined inputs. Inputs can be zero or more quantities. Output: The algorithm must produce at least one output. The output should be the solution to the problem. Finiteness: The algorithm must terminate after a finite number of steps. Infinite loops or unending calculations violate this characteristic. Definiteness: Each step of the algorithm must be precisely defined. Ambiguity in any step should be avoided. Effectiveness: Each operation should be basic enough to be carried out by a computing agent (such as a person or a computer) in a finite amount of time. Performan...