Sorting Algorithms Overview

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Questions and Answers

In Insertion Sort, what is the purpose of the 'while' loop within the outer 'for' loop?

To compare the elements in the sorted subarray.

To find the correct position for the element 'k' in the sorted subarray. (correct)

To identify the minimum element in the unsorted subarray.

To swap elements in the unsorted subarray.

Which of the following correctly describes the primary difference between Insertion Sort and Selection Sort?

Insertion Sort builds the sorted array incrementally, while Selection Sort makes comparisons on a single element and then makes a swap. (correct)

Insertion Sort is more efficient for large datasets, while Selection Sort is better for smaller datasets.

Insertion Sort uses a 'while' loop, while Selection Sort uses a 'for' loop.

Insertion Sort sorts elements in place, while Selection Sort requires additional space.

In Quick Sort, what is the role of the 'partition' operation?

To divide the array into subarrays with one element each.

To find the median of the array.

To arrange elements in ascending order.

To arrange elements smaller than the pivot to the left and elements larger than the pivot to the right. (correct)

In Selection Sort, what does 'min' variable represent in the code?

The index of the minimum element found so far in the unsorted subarray. (A) Signup and view all the answers

In a Bubble Sort algorithm, the outer loop iterates how many times?

n - 1 (A) Signup and view all the answers

How does Insertion Sort compare to Bubble Sort in terms of efficiency?

Insertion Sort is generally more efficient than Bubble Sort, especially for nearly sorted arrays. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which sorting algorithm will have the most significant improvement in efficiency when applied to an already sorted array?

Insertion Sort (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which sorting algorithm utilizes a 'pivot' element for partitioning the array?

Quick Sort (B) Signup and view all the answers

Given an array of size n, how many subarrays will be sorted independently during a recursive call in Merge Sort?

2 (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which sorting algorithm would be most suitable for sorting a large dataset that is already mostly sorted?

Insertion Sort (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which sorting algorithm has a worst-case time complexity of O(n^2), but can achieve O(n log n) in the average case?

Quick Sort (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which sorting algorithm is known for its stability, meaning it preserves the relative order of equal elements in the sorted output?

Merge Sort (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the `partition()` function in the provided code snippet?

To divide the array into two subarrays with elements smaller than the pivot on the left and larger on the right. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the value of `pivot` after the first iteration of the `while` loop in the `partition()` function?

7 (C) Signup and view all the answers

In the provided code, `right` is initially set to `high - 1`. What is the purpose of this?

To ensure that <code>right</code> always points to the last element of the unsorted subarray. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Based on the provided logic, what is the order of the array after the second partitioning step (where the left subarray: [1, 2, 7] is partitioned again)?

1 2 5 6 7 9 7 10 15 (D) Signup and view all the answers

Identify a potential drawback of the Quicksort algorithm implemented in the code snippet.

It is inefficient for sorting arrays with already sorted elements. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes