What are some common array search algorithms used in computer science and how do they differ in terms of efficiency and implementation?

Answer 1

Some common array search algorithms in computer science include linear search, binary search, and hash table search.

Linear search checks each element in the array one by one until the target element is found. It has a time complexity of O(n) where n is the number of elements in the array.

Binary search is more efficient as it divides the array in half at each step, reducing the search space by half each time. It has a time complexity of O(log n) where n is the number of elements in the array. However, binary search requires the array to be sorted.

Hash table search uses a hash function to map keys to values in a data structure called a hash table. It has an average time complexity of O(1) for searching, making it very efficient. However, hash table search may have collisions which can affect its efficiency.

In terms of implementation, linear search is simple and easy to implement but may not be efficient for large arrays. Binary search is more complex to implement but is very efficient for sorted arrays. Hash table search requires additional data structures and functions to implement but provides fast search times for large datasets.