What will be the result of a binary search if the target element is not present

Practice Questions

Q1
What will be the result of a binary search if the target element is not present in the array?
  1. Returns the index of the closest element
  2. Returns -1
  3. Returns the index of the last element
  4. Returns the index of the first element

Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions

What will be the result of a binary search if the target element is not present in the array?
  • Step 1: Start with a sorted array and a target element that you want to find.
  • Step 2: Set two pointers, one at the beginning of the array (left) and one at the end (right).
  • Step 3: Calculate the middle index of the array using the formula: middle = (left + right) / 2.
  • Step 4: Compare the element at the middle index with the target element.
  • Step 5: If the middle element is equal to the target, return the middle index.
  • Step 6: If the middle element is less than the target, move the left pointer to middle + 1.
  • Step 7: If the middle element is greater than the target, move the right pointer to middle - 1.
  • Step 8: Repeat steps 3 to 7 until the left pointer is greater than the right pointer.
  • Step 9: If the target element is not found after the loop ends, return -1 to indicate that the target is absent.
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