Data Structures and Algorithms

Introduction

Prepared by:
Eng. Malek Al-Louzi
School of Computing and Informatics – Al Hussein Technical University

Spring 2021/2022
Outlines
Introduction.

What are Data Structures?

Abstract Data Type.

Data Structures.

Algorithms.

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Introduction
Data Structures are the most fundamental and building block in
Computer Science.

Good knowledge of Data Structures is a must to design and develop

We deal with Data all the time, and how we store, organize and
group our data together matters.

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To pick some examples, where
organizing data in a particular
structure helps us.

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Example 1: Dictionary

We can search a word meaning quickly and efficiently in a dictionary,

Dictionary is organized as a sorted list of words.

What if the words were not sorted?

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Example 2: Neighborhood Map (1/6)
If you want to make a system for your neighborhood
like google maps:

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Example 2: Neighborhood Map (2/6)

If you already have each place coordinates:

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Example 2: Neighborhood Map (3/6)

Now, you can tell where each location is exactly, but you can't tell
how these locations are connected with streets.

We need to figure out a way to store these information in computer.

There are different options to store these information.

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Example 2: Neighborhood Map (4/6)
Option 1: Store all possible paths in a list format.

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Example 2: Neighborhood Map (5/6)

Option 2: list each of the places, and for each place list all places that
you can go from that place.

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Example 2: Neighborhood Map (6/6)
These two options are basically two different ways of storing the same
set of data but using different structures.
In general, different kind of structures are needed to store different kind
of data.
Computers are work with different kind of data: text, images, videos,
…etc.
If we don’t use the right kind of structures, then our software will not be
efficient.

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 Definition,
Types and What are Data Structures?
Explanation

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Definition of Data Structures
The formal definition of Data structure is:

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Representation Ways of Data Structures
We will study data structures in two ways:
1. Mathematical and Logical models (Abstract Data Types):
We will just look at abstract view of them.
From high level view, what are features and operations define a particular
data structure.
2. Implementation.
We can impalement the same ADT in multiple ways in the same
programming language.

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Abstract Data Type (1/2)
Abstract view of a device named Television:

An electrical device that can turn ON and OFF.

Receive signals from satellite.

Show these signals as Audio and Video.

We are not bothered how circuits are embedded to create

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Abstract Data Type (2/2)
Formal definition of Abstract Data Type (ADT):

We will learn about a lot of data structures as ADT, also how we
implement them.

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Abstract Data Type: Basic List (1/2)
We want to define something called a List:

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Abstract Data Type: Basic List (2/2)
If you notice, all High-Level languages already have a concrete
implementation of this List ADT in the form of Arrays.
Arrays give us all these functionality .
We can implement the same ADT in multiple ways in the same
language.
List ADT can be implemented also as a data structure called Linked
List.

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Data Structures (1/2)
Data structures that we will learn in this class:

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Data Structures (2/2)
We will learn the following for each data structure:
Logical view.
Operations.
Cost of operations.
Implementation.

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Our Course is Data Structures & Algorithms
So
We need to know
Example 3: Shortest Path to School (1/4)
We want to find the shortest path from home to school.

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Example 3: Shortest Path to School (2/4)
Solving this problem by hand is easy.
We can see there are three potential paths from home to school.

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Example 3: Shortest Path to School (3/4)
For theses three paths, compare the distance that you need to travel
and pick the shortest one.
To compute the distance, you can use the coordinates (Longitude
and Latitude) and find the distance in Kilometers.
Solving problem by hand is easy, but if we want to turn this to
something a computer can understand, you need to be more
systematic.

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Example 3: Shortest Path to School (4/4)

You can come up with a set of instructions that a computer can

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Algorithms
So basically, you have a problem you want to solve.
For solving the problem, you will have a set of systematic
instructions.
Note that, depending on a what data structure you are using to store
the data that you are performing the Algorithm on, your algorithm
might be different.
So, Algorithm is: The operations that we can perform on different
data structures, and the set of instructions for executing them to
solve a given problem.

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Any Questions???

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