Understanding the Logic Behind Binary Search: A Step-by-Step Guide
Discover how binary search efficiently locates items in sorted lists by halving search space. Learn the algorithm's logic in detail.
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Binary search is an efficient algorithm for finding an item in a sorted list. It works by repeatedly dividing the portion of the list that could contain the item in half until you've narrowed down the possible locations to just one. Specifically, it compares the target value to the middle element of the list. If they are not equal, it eliminates half of the remaining elements and continues searching the other half until it finds the target or concludes it does not exist in the list.
FAQs & Answers
- What is binary search used for? Binary search is used primarily for quickly locating items within a sorted array or list, significantly reducing search time.
- How does binary search compare to linear search? Binary search is more efficient than linear search, especially for large datasets, as it has a time complexity of O(log n) compared to O(n) for linear search.
- Can binary search be applied to unsorted lists? No, binary search can only be applied to sorted lists, as it relies on the order of the elements to eliminate half of the search space.
- What is the time complexity of binary search? The time complexity of binary search is O(log n), making it much faster than linear search methods for large datasets.