In a binary search tree (BST), how does binary search differ from searching in a
Practice Questions
Q1
In a binary search tree (BST), how does binary search differ from searching in a sorted array?
It is slower
It requires more comparisons
It can be done in O(1)
It uses tree properties
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
In a binary search tree (BST), how does binary search differ from searching in a sorted array?
Step 1: Understand what a binary search tree (BST) is. A BST is a data structure where each node has a value, and the left child has a smaller value while the right child has a larger value.
Step 2: Know that in a sorted array, the elements are arranged in a linear order from smallest to largest.
Step 3: In a binary search tree, to find a value, you start at the root and compare the value you are looking for with the root's value.
Step 4: If the value is smaller than the root's value, you move to the left child; if it's larger, you move to the right child.
Step 5: Repeat this process until you find the value or reach a leaf node (a node with no children). This process is efficient because you eliminate half of the remaining nodes at each step.
Step 6: In a sorted array, you perform a binary search by repeatedly dividing the array in half. You compare the middle element with the target value and decide to search in the left or right half based on the comparison.
Step 7: The key difference is that a BST uses its tree structure to navigate, while a sorted array uses index positions to divide the search space.
