Step by step description of how to arrive at a solution to a given problem is known as:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is (1):
An Algorithm is the heart of computer science and programming. It is a precise, unambiguous, and finite sequence of instructions or steps required to solve a specific problem or to perform a computation. Every well-designed algorithm must have certain characteristics: it must take input, produce output, and its steps must be definite, effective, and guaranteed to terminate after a finite amount of time. The question's description, "Step by step description of how to arrive at a solution to a given problem," is the canonical definition of an algorithm, which acts as the logical blueprint for a program before it is translated into code. This structured, procedural approach is foundational to solving problems efficiently and reliably in computing.

The incorrect option is (2):
A 'Plan' is a general, non-technical term that refers to an intended course of action or a preliminary outline. While creating a plan is the first stage of problem-solving, the resulting plan is often abstract, high-level, or may lack the necessary level of detail and rigor required for direct execution by a computer. An algorithm is a formal, definite, and concrete set of instructions, while a plan is typically a looser and more conceptual outline. Therefore, 'Plan' is too general to accurately describe the precise, executable nature of the problem-solving steps in computer science.

The incorrect option is (3):
ASCII Code (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) is a specific character encoding standard. It is a system that uses numerical codes to represent characters—such as letters, numbers, and punctuation marks—so that they can be stored and exchanged by computers. ASCII is strictly concerned with data representation (how characters look), not with the logical, sequential procedure for solving a mathematical or computational problem. It is a standard for characters, not for problem-solving methods.

The incorrect option is (4):
UNICODE is a comprehensive and modern international character encoding standard. It is an extension of ASCII, aiming to include characters from nearly all the world's writing systems to achieve universal text representation. Like ASCII, UNICODE is fundamental for handling text data and display. However, it is entirely unrelated to the procedural, step-by-step logical instructions that are required to solve a problem. Character encoding and problem-solving methodology are distinct concepts in computer science.