Searching Algorithms: Binary Search for Competitive Exams

Searching Algorithms: Binary Search

Q. If the target value is not present in the array, what will binary search return?

Solution

If the target value is not found, binary search typically returns -1 to indicate absence.

Correct Answer: D — -1

Q. In a binary search algorithm, what happens if the middle element is equal to the target?

Solution

If the middle element is equal to the target, the search is successful and the target is found.

Correct Answer: C — Target is found

Q. In binary search, if the target is less than the middle element, what should be the next step?

Solution

If the target is less than the middle element, the next step is to search the left half of the array.

Correct Answer: B — Search the left half

Q. What is the average time complexity of binary search?

Solution

The average time complexity of binary search is O(log n), as it consistently halves the search space.

Correct Answer: B — O(log n)

Q. What is the main advantage of using binary search over linear search?

Solution

Binary search is significantly faster than linear search for large sorted datasets due to its O(log n) time complexity.

Correct Answer: C — Binary search is faster for large datasets

Q. What is the worst-case scenario for the number of comparisons made by binary search?

Solution

In the worst case, binary search makes log n comparisons, where n is the number of elements in the array.

Correct Answer: B — log n

Q. Which of the following conditions must be true for binary search to work?

Solution

Binary search requires the array to be sorted in order to function correctly.

Correct Answer: A — Array must be sorted

Q. Which of the following is a prerequisite for applying binary search?

Solution

Binary search can only be applied to a sorted array, regardless of the data type.

Correct Answer: A — The array must be sorted

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