In computer science, a parallel algorithm, as opposed to a traditional serial algorithm, is one which can be executed a piece at a time in many different processing devices, and then put back together again at the end to get the correct result. Wikibooks Wikiversity has more about this subject: School of Computer Science Open Directory Project: Computer Science Downloadable Science and Computer Science books Collection of Computer Science Bibliographies Belief that title science in computer science is inappropriate Categories: | ... Flowcharts are often used to represent algorithms. ...

Some algorithms are easy to divide up into pieces like this. For example, splitting up the job of checking all of the numbers from one to a hundred to see if it is divisible by seven could be done by assigning a subset of the numbers to each available processor, and then putting the list of positive results back together.

Most of the available algorithms to compute Pi, on the other hand, could not be easily split up into parallel portions. Most of them require the results from a preceding step to effectively carry on with the next step. Lower-case pi The mathematical constant π is a real number which may be defined as the ratio of a circles circumference (Greek περιφέρεια, periphery) to its diameter in Euclidean geometry, and which is in common use in mathematics, physics, and engineering. ...

Parallel algorithms are valuable because it is faster to perform large computing tasks via a parallel algorithm than it is via a serial (non-parallel) algorithm, because of the way modern processors work. It is far more difficult to construct a computer with a single fast processor than one with many slow processors with the same throughput. There are also certain theoretical limits to the potential speed of serial processors. In information technology, throughput is the rate at which a computer or network sends or receives data. ...

A subtype of parallel algorithms, distributed algorithms are algorithms designed to work in cluster computing and distributed computing environments, where additional concerns beyond the scope of "classical" parallel algorithms need to be addressed. In computer science, a distributed algorithm is an algorithm that executes on more than one machine or processor. ... Linux Cluster at Purdue University A computer cluster is a group of locally connected computers that work together as a unit. ... In computer science, distributed computing studies the coordinated use of physically distributed computers. ...

See also: multiple agent system (MAS), neural network A multiple agent system (MAS) is a distributed parallel computer system built of many very simple components, each using a simple algorithm, and each communicating with other components. ... Simplified view of an artificial neural network A neural network is an interconnected group of biological neurons. ...

External links

• Parallel Algorithm Design
• Designing and Building Parallel Programs page at the US Argonne National Laboratories