What is the primary purpose of Big O notation? a) to measure the space taken up by an algorithm b) to count the number of operations an algorithm makes c) to provide an upper bound... What is the primary purpose of Big O notation? a) to measure the space taken up by an algorithm b) to count the number of operations an algorithm makes c) to provide an upper bound on the running time of an algorithm d) to determine the smallest input size an algorithm can handle
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the primary purpose of Big O notation, specifically which of the given options best describes its main function in analyzing algorithms.
Answer
c) to provide an upper bound on the running time of an algorithm
The final answer is c) to provide an upper bound on the running time of an algorithm.
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is c) to provide an upper bound on the running time of an algorithm.
More Information
Big O notation is used to express the efficiency of an algorithm in terms of time or space complexity, focusing on the worst-case scenario.
Tips
A common mistake is thinking Big O measures exact time or steps; rather, it provides a bounding function for scalability analysis.
Sources
- Big O Notation Tutorial - A Guide to Big O Analysis - GeeksforGeeks - geeksforgeeks.org
- What is Big O Notation Explained: Space and Time Complexity - freecodecamp.org
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