CS201: Elementary Data Structures

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

• Understand common search methods.
  • Define linear, binary, and fibonacci search.
  • Illustrate how linear, binary, and fibonacci search would be implemented using arrays.
  • Illustrate how linear, binary, and fibonacci search would be implemented using linked lists.
  • Compare linear, binary, and fibonacci search in terms of their memory and runtime efficiency.
• Understand common sort methods.
  • Describe insertion, quick, and merge sort.
  • Compare insertion, quick, and merge sorting in terms of their overall memory and runtime efficiency.
  • Chart the efficiency of insertion, quick, and merge sorting for small, medium, and large data loads.
• Plan efficient and effective search and sort algorithms.
  • Apply Big-O analysis to discern the efficiency of searching and sorting algorithms relative to data volumes and categories.
  • State the worst, average, and best time complexity for common search and sort algorithms.
• Judge searching and sorting algorithms relative to their application efficiency.
  • Determine the efficiency of common sorting and searching algorithms in terms of their computer-resource utilization.
  • Illustrate means of empirically demonstrating that your estimate of resource utilization is correct for a given application.
• Rate search and sort algorithms relative to an application's needs.
  • Recommend and justify the use of a specific search or sort algorithm according to expected data sizes.