What happens if you apply binary search on an array that is not sorted?

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Question: What happens if you apply binary search on an array that is not sorted?

Options:

Correct Answer: It may return an incorrect index

Solution:

Binary search assumes the array is sorted; if it is not, it may return an incorrect index.

What happens if you apply binary search on an array that is not sorted?

What happens if you apply binary search on an array that is not sorted?

Step 1: Understand what binary search is. It is a method to find an item in a sorted array by repeatedly dividing the search interval in half.
Step 2: Know that binary search requires the array to be sorted in a specific order (either ascending or descending).
Step 3: If you apply binary search on an unsorted array, it will not work correctly because the assumptions about the order of elements are violated.
Step 4: The algorithm may return an index that does not correspond to the target value, or it may indicate that the target value is not present when it actually is.
Step 5: Therefore, always ensure the array is sorted before using binary search.

Binary Search – A search algorithm that finds the position of a target value within a sorted array.
Array Sorting – The process of arranging the elements of an array in a specific order, typically ascending or descending.
Algorithm Assumptions – The conditions that must be met for an algorithm to function correctly, such as the requirement for sorted input in binary search.