Searching Algorithms

Searching Algorithms

1. Binary search

   • Finding an item in a ordered list only
     • Completely divides the proportion of the list that could contain the item by half until it is narrowed down to one.
   • Worst case time complexity O( log n)
     • Best case scenario O(1)

2. Linear search

   • Finding an item in a list which is sorted or unsorted
     • Sequentially checks each element in the list for the target value until all elements have been searched or the element is found
   • Worst case complexity O(n)
     • Best case scenario O(1)

3. Sorting an array takes time in itself, in terms of efficiency binary will always be slower than linear.