Searching Algorithms Questions Long
Exponential interpolation search is a searching algorithm that is used to find the position of a target value within a sorted array. It is an improvement over the traditional binary search algorithm, as it uses exponential increments to narrow down the search range.
The concept of exponential interpolation search involves estimating the position of the target value by using interpolation. Interpolation is a mathematical technique that estimates a value within a range based on known values at specific points. In this case, exponential interpolation is used to estimate the position of the target value within the array.
The algorithm starts by comparing the target value with the element at the first position of the array. If they match, the search is successful and the position is returned. If the target value is greater than the first element, the algorithm doubles the position and checks the element at that position. This process continues until an element greater than the target value is found or the end of the array is reached.
Once an element greater than the target value is found, the algorithm performs a binary search within the range defined by the previous and current positions. This binary search narrows down the search range and eventually finds the exact position of the target value, if it exists in the array.
Exponential interpolation search has a time complexity of O(log(log(n))), where n is the size of the array. This makes it more efficient than traditional binary search, especially for large arrays. However, it requires the array to be sorted in ascending order for accurate results.
In conclusion, exponential interpolation search is a searching algorithm that combines exponential increments and interpolation to efficiently find the position of a target value within a sorted array. It provides a faster search time compared to binary search, making it a valuable tool in various applications.