In computer science, a prescribed set of well defined, step by step instructions for solving a mathematical or logical problem is called ________

Introduction / Context:
In computer science and mathematics, we often need a clear method to solve a problem, such as adding a list of numbers, searching for an item or sorting data. This method must be precise so that a computer, which follows instructions blindly, can carry it out. The technical word used for such a precise, step by step method is algorithm. This question tests whether you know the basic definition of an algorithm and can distinguish it from related terms like code, compiler and flowchart.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The context is computer science and problem solving.
• We are looking for a set of well defined instructions.
• The instructions must solve a mathematical or logical problem.
• The method should be independent of any particular programming language.

Concept / Approach:
An algorithm is a finite sequence of clear, unambiguous instructions designed to solve a specific problem or perform a computation. Each step tells exactly what to do, and there is no confusion for the person or machine following it. Algorithms are written at a logical level, not tied to a specific programming language or hardware. After designing an algorithm, programmers can then convert it into actual program code, which a compiler translates into machine language. Therefore the word that best matches a prescribed set of well defined instructions is algorithm.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Textbooks on programming methodology typically start with the statement that before writing code, you should design an algorithm. They define an algorithm as an ordered set of unambiguous instructions that terminate after a finite number of steps and produce the correct output. Flowcharts and pseudocode are described as ways to represent algorithms visually or in structured text. Compilers appear later as tools that translate the final program into machine language. This ordering of ideas confirms that the concept required in the question is algorithm, not compiler or code.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• A compiler: Translates source code into machine code; it is a tool, not the set of instructions for solving a problem.
• A code: Refers to program statements written in a programming language and depends on that language, unlike an abstract algorithm.
• A flowchart: A graphical representation of an algorithm using symbols and arrows, not the underlying logical steps themselves.
• A description: A general word that can be vague and does not guarantee well defined, step by step instructions.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse algorithm with program because both solve problems. The key difference is that an algorithm is language independent and focuses on logic, while a program is written in a specific language and must follow syntax rules. Others may choose flowchart because it also shows steps, but a flowchart is only one way to draw or visualise an algorithm. Remember that whenever you see well defined, step by step instructions for solving a problem, the technical term you should think of is algorithm.

Final Answer:
A prescribed set of well defined instructions for solving a mathematical problem is called an algorithm.