Sorting Algorithms Challenge

What is the main idea behind selection sort?

• The main idea behind selection sort is to repeatedly select the smallest (or largest) element from the unsorted portion and move it to the sorted portion.

• Selection sort arranges elements in random order.

• Selection sort compares all elements before sorting.

• Selection sort only works on already sorted arrays.

How does insertion sort work on a partially sorted array?

• Insertion sort always sorts the array in descending order.

• Insertion sort requires a fixed number of iterations regardless of the array's state.

• Insertion sort is efficient on partially sorted arrays as it quickly finds the correct position for each element.

• Insertion sort is only effective on completely unsorted arrays.

What is the time complexity of bubble sort in the worst case?

• O(n)

• O(n^2)

• O(log n)

• O(n log n)

Explain how merge sort divides the array.

• Merge sort sorts the array in place without dividing it.

• Merge sort combines the array without any division.

• Merge sort divides the array into two halves recursively until each sub-array has one element.

• Merge sort only divides the array into three parts at each step.

What is the pivot in quicksort?

• The pivot is a random element chosen from the array.

• The pivot is the first element in the array.

• The pivot is the last element in the array.

• The pivot is an element used to partition the array in quicksort.

Describe the best-case scenario for bubble sort.

• The best-case scenario occurs when the array is in reverse order.

• The best-case scenario occurs when the array contains only one element.

• The best-case scenario occurs when the array is sorted in descending order.

• The best-case scenario for bubble sort occurs when the array is already sorted.

How does selection sort find the minimum element?

• Selection sort finds the minimum element by sorting the entire array first.

• Selection sort randomly selects an element from the array as the minimum.

• Selection sort uses a binary search to find the minimum element.

• Selection sort finds the minimum element by scanning the unsorted portion of the array and identifying the smallest value.

What are the advantages of using merge sort over quicksort?

• Quicksort is stable and has consistent O(n log n) time complexity.

• Merge sort is stable, has consistent O(n log n) time complexity, and is better for linked lists and external sorting.

• Merge sort is not suitable for external sorting.

• Merge sort is faster for small datasets.

In which scenario would you prefer insertion sort?

• When sorting small or nearly sorted datasets.

• When memory usage is a critical concern.

• When the data is completely unsorted.

• When sorting large datasets.

What is the average time complexity of quicksort?

• O(n log n)

• O(n^2)

• O(log n)

• O(n)