CS Edexcel 1.2e Efficiency of Algorithms

What is one way to evaluate the efficiency of an algorithm?

• By the number of lines of code

• By the time it takes to execute

• By the programming language used

Why might comparing algorithms based on time taken not be useful?

• Computers are getting slower

• Hardware and processing power is improving in computers

• Algorithms are all the same speed

• Time is not a measurable factor

What is 'The Big-O' used for in computer science?

• To measure the size of data

• To compare the efficiency of algorithms

• To determine the color of the interface

• To evaluate the number of users

What does Big-O notation help computer scientists to understand?

• The exact number of operations an algorithm performs

• The scalability of an algorithm as input size grows

• The color scheme of a software application

• The number of users an application can support

Why is Big-O notation important when analyzing algorithms?

• It helps in determining the best programming language

• It evaluates the user satisfaction with the software

• It provides a way to compare algorithm efficiency regardless of hardware

• It measures the exact memory usage of an algorithm

Which is more efficient - linear or binary search?

• Linear

• Binary

What is the more efficient strategy with search and sort algorithms?

• Divide and conquer

• Compare in order

Which is the more efficient sorting algorithm?

• Bubble sort

• Merge sort