In binary search, what happens to the search space after each comparison?

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Question: In binary search, what happens to the search space after each comparison?

Options:

Correct Answer: It halves

Solution:

After each comparison, the search space is halved, which is the key to its efficiency.

In binary search, what happens to the search space after each comparison?

In binary search, what happens to the search space after each comparison?

Step 1: Start with a sorted list of numbers.
Step 2: Identify the middle number of the list.
Step 3: Compare the middle number with the target number you are searching for.
Step 4: If the middle number is equal to the target, you found it!
Step 5: If the middle number is less than the target, discard the left half of the list (including the middle number).
Step 6: If the middle number is greater than the target, discard the right half of the list (including the middle number).
Step 7: Repeat steps 2 to 6 with the new, smaller list until you find the target or the list is empty.

Binary Search – A search algorithm that finds the position of a target value within a sorted array by repeatedly dividing the search interval in half.
Search Space – The portion of the array that is still being considered for the target value after each comparison.
Efficiency of Binary Search – The logarithmic time complexity (O(log n)) resulting from halving the search space with each comparison.