Searching Algorithms Questions Medium
The linear search algorithm is a simple searching algorithm that sequentially checks each element in a list or array until a match is found or the end of the list is reached. It starts at the beginning of the list and compares each element with the target value being searched for.
The steps involved in the linear search algorithm are as follows:
1. Start at the first element of the list.
2. Compare the current element with the target value.
3. If the current element matches the target value, the search is successful and the position of the element is returned.
4. If the current element does not match the target value, move to the next element in the list.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 until a match is found or the end of the list is reached.
6. If the end of the list is reached without finding a match, the search is unsuccessful and a special value (e.g., -1) is returned to indicate that the target value is not present in the list.
The linear search algorithm is straightforward and easy to implement, but it may not be efficient for large lists or arrays. Its time complexity is O(n), where n is the number of elements in the list. This means that the worst-case scenario occurs when the target value is not present in the list, and the algorithm needs to compare each element in the list before determining the absence of the target value.