If a binary search algorithm returns -1, what does it indicate?

Practice Questions

Q1
If a binary search algorithm returns -1, what does it indicate?
  1. The element is found
  2. The element is not in the array
  3. The array is empty
  4. The array is sorted

Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions

If a binary search algorithm returns -1, what does it indicate?
  • Step 1: Understand what a binary search algorithm does. It looks for a specific element in a sorted array.
  • Step 2: When you use the binary search, you provide it with the element you want to find.
  • Step 3: If the algorithm finds the element, it returns the index (position) of that element in the array.
  • Step 4: If the algorithm does not find the element in the array, it returns -1.
  • Step 5: Therefore, a return value of -1 means that the element you were searching for is not present in the array.
  • Binary Search Algorithm – A search algorithm that finds the position of a target value within a sorted array.
  • Return Values – Understanding what different return values signify in the context of algorithms.
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