An algorithm is not just any set of instructions: they have to be precise and unambiguous enough to be executed by a computer. For example, a cooking recipe is not an algorithm because it doesn’t exactly specify what order to do things in or exactly what each step is. Exactly how much sugar is a spoonful? As everyone who’s ever tried a new recipe knows, following it may result in something delicious or a mess. In contrast, an algorithm always produces the same result.
