Algorithms For Dummies

 

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Check both datasets for data type issues. One dataset could have dates input 

as strings, and another could have the dates input as actual date objects. 

Inconsistencies between data types will cause problems for an algorithm that 

expects data in one form and receives it in another.

 

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Ensure that all datasets place the same meaning on data elements. Data 

created by one source might have a different meaning than data created by 

another source. For example, the size of an integer can vary across sources, 

so you might see a 16-bit integer from one source and a 32-bit integer from 

another. Lower values have the same meaning, but the 32-bit integer can 

contain larger values, which can cause problems with the algorithm. Dates can 

also cause problems because they often rely on storing so many milliseconds 

since a given date (such as JavaScript, which stores the number of milliseconds 

since 01 January, 1970 UTC). The computer sees only numbers; humans add 

meaning to these numbers so that applications interpret them in specific ways.