In a graph represented as an adjacency list, what is the space complexity?
Practice Questions
Q1
In a graph represented as an adjacency list, what is the space complexity?
O(V + E)
O(V^2)
O(E)
O(V)
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
In a graph represented as an adjacency list, what is the space complexity?
Step 1: Understand what an adjacency list is. It is a way to represent a graph where each vertex has a list of its connected vertices (neighbors).
Step 2: Identify the components of the graph. V represents the number of vertices (nodes) in the graph, and E represents the number of edges (connections between nodes).
Step 3: Realize that for each vertex, we need to store a list of its edges. This means we need space for all vertices and all edges.
Step 4: Calculate the space needed for vertices. We need O(V) space for the vertices themselves.
Step 5: Calculate the space needed for edges. We need O(E) space for the edges since each edge connects two vertices.
Step 6: Combine the space for vertices and edges. The total space needed is O(V) + O(E), which simplifies to O(V + E).
Step 7: Conclude that the space complexity of a graph represented as an adjacency list is O(V + E).
