Sorting Algorithms Questions Medium
The insertion sort algorithm is a simple sorting algorithm that works by repeatedly inserting elements from an unsorted portion of the array into their correct position in a sorted portion of the array. It is an in-place comparison-based algorithm that is efficient for small data sets or partially sorted data.
The algorithm starts by considering the first element of the array as the sorted portion. It then iterates through the remaining unsorted portion of the array, comparing each element with the elements in the sorted portion. If an element is found to be smaller than the element in the sorted portion, it is shifted to the right to make space for the new element. This shifting continues until the correct position for the new element is found.
The process is repeated for each element in the unsorted portion of the array, gradually expanding the sorted portion until the entire array is sorted. At each iteration, the sorted portion of the array is always in the correct order.
The insertion sort algorithm has a time complexity of O(n^2) in the worst case, where n is the number of elements in the array. However, it performs well for small data sets or partially sorted data, making it a suitable choice in certain scenarios.