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Binary Search

Binary search is an efficient algorithm for finding an item in a sorted array. It works by repeatedly dividing the search interval in half and focusing on the half where the item may be present. Each comparison reduces the sample size by half, so the worst-case running time is O(log n) comparisons. Binary search requires that the data be sorted and allows direct access to any element, so it works best on sorted arrays rather than other data structures that may be more flexible for updates.

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Junaid khan
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407 views

Binary Search

Binary search is an efficient algorithm for finding an item in a sorted array. It works by repeatedly dividing the search interval in half and focusing on the half where the item may be present. Each comparison reduces the sample size by half, so the worst-case running time is O(log n) comparisons. Binary search requires that the data be sorted and allows direct access to any element, so it works best on sorted arrays rather than other data structures that may be more flexible for updates.

Uploaded by

Junaid khan
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Binary search

By

Junaid Ali Siddiqui


What is Binary search?
 Suppose DATA is an array which is sorted
in any numerical order or equivalently
alphabetically .
 Then there is an extremely efficient
algorithm called binary search which can
be used to find the location LOC of a
given ITEM of information in DATA.
General idea about binary
search algorithm
 Suppose one wants to find the location of some name in a
telephone directory or some word in dictionary .
 Obviously one does not perform a linear search rather
one opens the directory in the middle to determine which
half contains the name being sought.
 Then one opens that half in the middle to determine
which quarter of the directory contains the name .
 Then one opens that quarter in the middle to determine
which eighth of the directory contains the name &so on.
 Eventually one finds the location of the name .
 Since one is reducing the possible locations for it in the
directory.
Binary search algorithm
In this algorithm
 DATA is a sorted array which is sorted in
ascending order with lower bound LB & upper
bound UB & ITEM is a given item of
information to be searched.
 The variables BEG , END & MID denote
respectively the beginning ,end & middle
locations of a segment of elements of DATA.
 This algorithm finds the location LOC of ITEM
in DATA or sets LOC equal to NULL.
BINARY(DATA,LB,UB,ITEM,LOC)
Step 1 : [Initialize segment variables]
Set BEG=LB,END=UB & MID=INT((BEG+END)/2).
Step 2 : Repeat Steps 3 & 4 while BEG <=END &DATA[MID ]!=ITEM
Step 3 : if(ITEM<DATA[MID] )
then
Set END:= MID-1
Else:
Set BEG:= MID +1
[End of if/else].
Step 4 : MID:=INT ((BEG+END)/2)
[End of while loop ].
Step 5 : if(DATA[MID]=ITEM)
then
Set LOC:=MID
Else:
Set LOC:=NULL
[End of if/else].
Step 6 : Exit.
Remark
 Whenever ITEM does not appear in
DATA ,the algorithm eventually arrives at
the stage that BEG=END=MID.
 Then the next step yeilds END <BEG &
control transfer to Step 5 of the algorithm.
Complexity of the Binary
search algorithm
 The complexity is measured by the number f(n) of
comparisons to locate ITEM in DATA where DATA
contains n elements.
 Observe that each comparison reduce the sample size in
half .
 Hence we require atmost f(n) comparisons to locate ITEM
where 2exp f(n)>n or equivalently f(n)= log2n + 1
 That is the running time for the worst case is
approximately equal to log2n .
 One can also show that the running time for the average
case is approximately equal to the running time for the
worst case.
Limitations of the binary search
algorithm
 Since the binary search algorithm is very efficient.
 Why would one want to use any other search
algorithm?
 Observe that the algorithm requires two
conditions.
(a) The list must be sorted.
(b) One must have direct access to middle element in
any sublist.
 This means that one must essentially use a sorted
array to hold the data but keeping data in a sorted
array is normally very expensive when there are
many insertions & deletions.
 Accordingly in such situations one may use a
different data structure such as link list or binary
search tree to store the data.
Message:
Friend ship is just like a snowball
easy to make hard to keep .So always
be sincere to your friends.
THANK YOU!
Reference:
Theory & problems of Data
structures by
Shaum’s series.

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