the operation of a ‘for’ algorithm, where a task is completed a number of times. However, in ‘while’ algorithms, the program computes the task a number of times before a conditional statement is met. This means that the ‘while’ algorithm can perform its task a different number of times for each time it is run. Resolution Skeletons These skeletons are very different to the typical skeletons found above. ‘Resolution’ algorithms use a combination of methods to solve a specified problem. The algorithm's given problem can be a “family of problems”. There are two main types of these skeletons, ‘divide and conquer’ or ‘brand and bound’. ‘Divide and conquer’ uses a map skeleton as its basis, combining this with a while skeleton to solve the problem. In map algorithms, functions on data are applied simultaneously. In ‘divide and conquer’ the set of data provided has a function applied to it using the map skeleton, however this can be applied recursively using the ‘while’ algorithm. The ‘while’ is only broken when the entire problem is solved. ‘Branch and bound’ is an algorithm that also uses map algorithms, however instead of applying the ‘while’ algorithm to run the tasks simultaneously, this algorithm splits the tasks into branches. Each branch has a specific purpose, or ‘bound’, where the conditional statement will cause it to stop. References Computer programming Programming language topics Software