21. Quicksort
The chapter explores sorting algorithms, focusing on merge sort and quicksort. It explains the mechanics of these algorithms, highlighting the process of partitioning in quicksort and the benefits of sorting to find the median. The chapter further discusses the efficiency of both algorithms, establishing that quicksort, despite its popularity, does not always exhibit optimal performance compared to merge sort, particularly in its worst-case scenarios.
Sections
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What we have learnt
- Merge sort requires additional space for the merge function.
- The quicksort algorithm uses a pivot to partition elements into two groups based on their size.
- Selecting the first element as a pivot can lead to suboptimal performance in quicksort.
Key Concepts
- -- Merge Sort
- A sorting algorithm that divides an array into halves, sorts them, and then merges them back together.
- -- Quicksort
- A divide-and-conquer sorting algorithm that selects a 'pivot' and partitions the elements into those less than and greater than the pivot.
- -- Pivot Element
- An element used in quicksort to partition the list into smaller elements and larger elements.
- -- Median
- A value that divides a data set into two equal halves, important for certain sorting algorithms.
Additional Learning Materials
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.