Sorting Algorithm

Insertion Sort
 Insertion Sort
In this technique we pick an element and
then insert it at the appropriate position in
ascending or descending order.
 Insertion Sort

In pass 1, element a[1] is inserted either before o

after a[0] so that a[0] and a[1] are sorted.
In pass 2, a[2] is inserted either before a[0] or
between a[0] and a[1] or after a[1] so that
a[0],a[1] and a[2] are sorted.
In a similar way the process is carried out n-1
times.
 Example
Consider an array arr having 5 elements
5 4 3 1 2

Arrange the elements in ascending order

We have 5 elements so we need max. 4 pass to sort the

elements
 Pass 1 of 4
Given array 5 4 3 1 2

5 4 3 1 2

After insert 5 4 3 1 2

Find the appropriate position in the current range to insert the current element
 Pass 1 of 4
Given array 5 4 3 1 2

Insert position Current element

5 4 3 1 2

Current Range

After insert 4 5 3 1 2
Find the appropriate position in the current range to insert the current element
 Pass 2 of 4
From pass 1 4 5 3 1 2

4 5 3 1 2

Find the appropriate position in the current range to insert the current element
 Pass 2 of 4
From pass 1 4 5 3 1 2

Insert position Current element

4 5 3 1 2

Current Range

After insert 3 4 5 1 2

Find the appropriate position in the current range to insert the current element
 Pass 3 of 4
From pass 2 3 4 5 1 2

3 4 5 1 2

Find the appropriate position in the current range to insert the current element
 Pass 3 of 4
From pass 2 3 4 5 1 2

Insert position Current element

3 4 5 1 2

Current Range

After insert 1 3 4 5 2

Find the appropriate position in the current range to insert the current element
 Pass 4 of 4
From pass 3 1 3 4 5 2

1 3 4 5 2

Find the appropriate position in the current range to insert the current element
 Pass 4 of 4
From pass 3 1 3 4 5 2

Insert position Current element

1 3 4 5 2

Current Range

After insert 1 2 3 4 5

Find the appropriate position in the current range to insert the current element
 About Insertion Sort
• Insertion sort requires n-1 pass to sort an array of n
elements.
• In each pass we insert the current element at the
appropriate place so that the elements in the current
range is in order.
• In each pass we have k comparisons, where k is the
pass number.
• So, 1st pass requires 1 comparison.
• 𝑘 𝑡ℎ pass requires k-1 comparisons.
𝑡ℎ
• 𝑛 pass requires n-1 comparisons.
 Algorithm
/*
a[0:n-1] is an array of n elements.
temp is a variable to facilitate exchange.
*/
InsertionSort(a,n)
Begin
for k = 1 to n-1 by 1 do //this is for pass
Set temp = a[k];
Set j = k-1;
while( temp < a[j] and j >= 0) do
Set a[j+1] = a[j];
Set j = j-1;
endwhile
Set a[j+1] = temp;
endfor
End
 Order of Insertion Sort
For n elements array,
In 1st pass we have 1 comparison
In 2nd pass we have 2 comparisons
Similarly, in 𝑘 𝑡ℎ pass we have k comparisons
And the last pass requires 1 comparison
Therefore, total comparisons are
F(n) = 1+2+3+….+(n-3)+(n-2)+(n-1)
𝑛(𝑛−1)
= =0(𝑛2 )
2
 Write a program in C to enter 5
elements and arrange them in
ascending order using Insertion sort
#include <stdio.h>

//function declaration
void insertionSort(int *a, int n);

int main(){
//variable declaration
int arr[5], i;

//input
for(i = 0; i < 5; i++)
scanf("%d", &arr[i]);
//sort
insertionSort(arr, 5); //passing arr address and no. of
elements

//output
for(i = 0; i < 5; i++)
printf("%d\n", arr[i]);

return 0;
}
//function definition
void insertionSort(int *a, int n){
int k, j, temp;
for(k = 1; k <= n-1; k++){
temp = a[k];
j = k-1;
while(temp < a[j] && j >= 0){
a[j+1] = a[j];
j--;
}
a[j+1] = temp;
}
}