10. Searching in an array
This section discusses the problem of searching for a value in an array, examining different strategies such as linear and binary search. It highlights the differences in performance when dealing with sorted versus unsorted arrays, emphasizing the efficiency of binary search. The importance of data structures in optimizing search operations is also stressed, illustrating how array access varies compared to lists.
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What we have learnt
- Searching in an unsorted array requires a linear search, which has a worst-case time complexity of O(n).
- Binary search can significantly reduce search time in a sorted array, achieving a time complexity of O(log n).
- The algorithm for binary search utilizes a divide-and-conquer approach by repeatedly dividing the search interval in half.
Key Concepts
- -- Linear Search
- A method for finding a value in a set by sequentially checking each element until the target value is found or the end of the set is reached.
- -- Binary Search
- An efficient algorithm for finding a target value within a sorted array by repeatedly dividing the search interval in half.
- -- Recurrence Relation
- An equation that defines a sequence recursively by relating each term to previous terms.
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