algorithm

noun7

1. •
   A collection of ordered steps that solve a mathematical problem. A precise step-by-step plan for a computational procedure that possibly begins with an input value and yields an output value in a finite number of steps.

   • Mark Zuckerberg: No, I need the algorithm you used to rank chess players. / Eduardo Saverin: Are you OK? / Mark Zuckerberg: We're ranking girls. — 2010
2. •
   A flowchart illustrating a decision-making process for human users, especially health care professionals.
3. •
   software that makes content display determinations on a platform, in totality of effect upon all end users (within a potential audience).
4. •
   (informal) the actual personalized selections of content seen by specific user(s), the microtargeting to which they are subject

   • … you and I probably didn't run across that in our algorithm, but that doesn't mean that a lot of people aren't gonna run across garbage like that in their algorithms in the next couple weeks… — 2024
5. •
   (informal) the influenced zeitgeist: e.g. what content ends up trending or viral, what persons become a main character or cancelled

   • Glover began his acceptance speech by saying, “First, I want to thank the great algorithm that put us all here.” — 2018
6. •
   recommender systems and the curation of feeds
7. •
   (no longer used) Calculation with Arabic numerals; algorism.