An algorithm is a series of step-by-step instructions that describe how to do something.
To write an effective algorithm, it helps to break a problem down into smaller parts and think carefully about how to solve each part with code.
In this course, you'll learn the fundamentals of algorithmic thinking by writing algorithms that do everything from converting temperatures to handling complex 2D arrays.
In this section, you’ll practice solving classic programming challenges with JavaScript.
The focus is on algorithmic thinking — breaking problems down into smaller steps and writing clear, logical solutions.
By completing these exercises, you will:
- Strengthen your problem-solving skills.
- Practice working with strings, arrays, numbers, and objects.
- Learn how to apply loops, conditionals, and built-in methods effectively.
- String manipulation: reversing strings, checking for palindromes, finding the longest word, etc.
- Array operations: splitting arrays, chunking, filtering, mapping, reducing.
- Math algorithms: factorials, Fibonacci, sums, prime checks, and greatest common divisor.
- Conditional logic: using
if/else,switch, and ternary operators to solve problems. - Built-in methods: practice with
map(),filter(),reduce(),split(),join(),indexOf(), and more.
- Breaking a problem into smaller logical steps.
- Choosing the right data structure for the task.
- Using loops vs recursion when needed.
- Writing reusable and clean code.
- Debugging and testing your own solutions.
- Reverse a string.
- Factorialize a number.
- Find the largest number in an array.
- Confirm the ending of a string.
- Truncate a string.
- Mutations: check if one string’s letters appear in another.
- Falsy Bouncer: remove all falsy values from an array.
- Chunky Monkey: split an array into groups.
- Start with pseudocode: write out your plan in plain English before coding.
- Use console.log() to debug and understand what’s happening step by step.
- Test your solution with different inputs, not just the examples given.
- Keep solutions simple before trying clever one-liners.
By the end of this section, you’ll be confident solving common algorithmic challenges in JavaScript, which prepares you for more advanced problem-solving later (like Intermediate Algorithm Scripting and coding interviews).