Which data structure is commonly used to implement the priority queue in Dijkstr
Practice Questions
Q1
Which data structure is commonly used to implement the priority queue in Dijkstra's algorithm?
Array
Linked List
Binary Heap
Stack
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which data structure is commonly used to implement the priority queue in Dijkstra's algorithm?
Step 1: Understand what a priority queue is. A priority queue is a special type of data structure where each element has a priority. Elements with higher priority are served before those with lower priority.
Step 2: Learn about Dijkstra's algorithm. Dijkstra's algorithm is used to find the shortest path from a starting point to all other points in a graph.
Step 3: Recognize that Dijkstra's algorithm needs to repeatedly access the smallest element (the node with the shortest distance) to continue finding the shortest paths.
Step 4: Identify that a binary heap is a common data structure used for implementing a priority queue. A binary heap allows for efficient operations to add elements and extract the minimum element.
Step 5: Conclude that using a binary heap in Dijkstra's algorithm helps to efficiently manage the nodes being processed, making the algorithm faster.
