Consider The Problem Of Searching For A Particular Entry In A Large But Sorted Database. Which Algorithm Would Be Preferable?

[Hanna1]

i. Sequential Search

ii. Binary Search

iii. Both the above would be equally preferable

[Captain2]

Someone will probably answer, but we don't generally do homework on here; better to attempt it yourself and learn from your mistakes if you get it wrong.

[Calibax]

ii

[Huderon]

The answer depends on how much data you are talking about.

If you are talking about a dataset which comprised 10s of items, a sequential search would be fine. If you are talking about one which has hundreds or a few thousand items, a binary search is more efficient.

There is a third option, which would only be used on really massive datasets and which I never needed to make use of when I was programming. That's a hybrid search, which combines two (or more) types of search into a single algorithm. Sorry, I can't tell you much about it, because I never needed to code one.

[Baldric]

The OPer is taking a little break from AB atm.

[jno]

a shame anyone can be suspended for asking homework questions on a question and answer site. As valid as any other questions, imho, and nobody has to answer them if they don't want to.

[kvalidir]

Agreed Jno, this is a Q&A site, unless the poster is a troll or a spammer they should be entitled to ask this question.

[THECORBYLOON]

Suspending seems a wee bit harsh doesn't it? Nothing to indicate it's going to be followed by a link to an absolutely tip-top website with just what the doctor ordered...

[vulcan42]

Which site rule has this poster violated?

[Canary42]

Definitely a binary search as it's a sorted file (often known as a binary chop).

[Huderon]

I was pretty sure the OPer had posted homework questions before, but looking at her/his details, I see not. Still suspension does seem a bit stiff for homework questions, especially given the nature of this particular question.

[Canary42]

Perhaps it's because this poster has fielded three computer questions tonight that he's been suspended.

[Baldric]

Don't get many hes called Hanna, not down here anyway.

[sanmac]

A lot of the questions in the sub-sections of Home and Garden are homework questions.

[Huderon]

Canary, binary search is not always the most efficient in terms of speed. It's great for large datasets but for very small ones a sequential search is as good if not better and is simpler to write.

The OPer did slip up, though, by mentioning a database. Unless the definition has changed in the last 15 years, databases use indexes and pointers to let you find data, so a search using any of the three options listed would be kind of silly.

[beso]

In reality, databases have tree-like indexes which are something else again.

[Canary42]

////great for large datasets////

The question refers to a LARGE database

//// did slip up, though, by mentioning a database.////

I thought that a bit odd - the references appeared to refer to a standard serial file. Any decent database management system should be able to locate a database entry via links/pointers. As you state, it would be silly using any of the options given.

[dannyk13]

Just checked Hanna1's profile.She is shown as active.