650iq's blog

How to retain learned algorithms / techniques?
By 650iq, history, 10 months ago, In English

Hi everyone. Whenever i learn a new algorithm/technique it stays with me for about an week, after that if i dont solve problems on that technique or algorithm i usually forget about it in future and have to relearn it again. How can i not forget it and retain it forever. Pls help if someone knows how to tackle this

  • Vote: I like it
  • 0
  • Vote: I do not like it

»
10 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

Just solve problems or draw the algorithm's/technique's pattern

→ Reply
»
10 months ago, # |
← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +1 Vote: I do not like it

Here is my take. You should review them for a bit until it's second nature for you. You can try solving lots of problems on that algorithm/technique for sometime until they're as easy to implement as a for loop. Another approach is to solve the same problem with new ideas/algorithms/techniques multiple times, maybe using a spaced repetition algorithm to schedule that.

Hope that helps!

→ Reply
  • »
    »
    10 months ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +1 Vote: I do not like it

    i aggree with your first approach i would advise solving more problems until you can easily indentify a problem that use this algorithm the number of problems you may need varies depending on the complexity of the algorithm

    → Reply
»
10 months ago, # |
  Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

anki

→ Reply
»
10 months ago, # |
← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +19 Vote: I do not like it

One more tip:

Do not copy paste code, implement from scratch every time. That way eventually the new technique (DSU, Djikstra, etc) will stick and/or you will make some subtle mistakes until you really understand exactly why each line is the way it is.

→ Reply