Searching Algorithms Questions Medium
The main difference between interpolation search and binary search lies in the way they determine the position of the target element within a sorted array.
Binary search divides the array into two equal halves repeatedly until the target element is found or the search space is exhausted. It compares the target element with the middle element of the current subarray and narrows down the search space by discarding the half where the target cannot be present. This process continues until the target element is found or the search space becomes empty.
On the other hand, interpolation search uses a formula to estimate the probable position of the target element within the array. It calculates the position by considering the value of the target element, the minimum value, maximum value, and the size of the array. Based on this estimation, it narrows down the search space by comparing the target element with the element at the estimated position. If the target element is found, the search is successful. Otherwise, it adjusts the estimated position and repeats the process until the target element is found or the search space becomes empty.
In summary, the key difference between interpolation search and binary search is the way they determine the position of the target element. Binary search always divides the search space into two equal halves, while interpolation search estimates the position based on a formula. This difference allows interpolation search to potentially find the target element faster than binary search, especially when the elements in the array are uniformly distributed. However, interpolation search may perform poorly when the distribution of elements is uneven or when the array is not sorted.