Binary Search

Binary search
binary search: Locates a target value in a sorted
array/list by successively eliminating half of the array from
consideration.
 How many elements will it need to examine? O(log N)
 Can be implemented with a loop or recursively

 Example: Searching the array below for the value 42:

index 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
value -4 2 7 10 15 20 22 25 30 36 42 50 56 68 85 92 103

min mid max

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 Binary search code
// Returns the index of an occurrence of target in a,
// or a negative number if the target is not found.
// Precondition: elements of a are in sorted order
public static int binarySearch(int[] a, int target) {
int min = 0;
int max = a.length - 1;

while (min <= max) {

int mid = (min + max) / 2;
if (a[mid] < target) {
min = mid + 1;
} else if (a[mid] > target) {
max = mid - 1;
} else {
return mid; // target found
}
}

return -(min + 1); // target not found

}
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 Recursive binary search
Write a recursive binarySearch method.
 If the target value is not found, return its negative insertion
point.

index 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
value -4 2 7 10 15 20 22 25 30 36 42 50 56 68 85 92 103

int index = binarySearch(data, 42); // 10

int index2 = binarySearch(data, 66); // -14

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 Exercise solution
// Returns the index of an occurrence of the given value in
// the given array, or a negative number if not found.
// Precondition: elements of a are in sorted order
public static int binarySearch(int[] a, int target) {
return binarySearch(a, target, 0, a.length - 1);
}

// Recursive helper to implement search behavior.

private static int binarySearch(int[] a, int target,
int min, int max) {
if (min > max) {
return -1; // target not found
} else {
int mid = (min + max) / 2;
if (a[mid] < target) { // too small; go right
return binarySearch(a, target, mid + 1, max);
} else if (a[mid] > target) { // too large; go left
return binarySearch(a, target, min, mid - 1);
} else {
return mid; // target found; a[mid] == target
}
}
}
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 Binary Search

Example: sorted array of integer keys.

Target=7.
[0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

3 6 7 11 32 33 53

6
 Binary Search

[0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Find approximate midpoint

7
 Binary Search

[0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Is 7 = midpoint key? NO.

8
 Binary Search

[0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Is 7 < midpoint key? YES.

9
 Binary Search

[0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Search for the target in the area before midpoint.

10
 Binary Search

Example: sorted array of integer keys.

Target=7.
[0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Find approximate midpoint

11
 Binary Search

[0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Target = key of midpoint? NO.

12
 Binary Search

Example: sorted array of integer keys.

Target=7.
[0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Target < key of midpoint? NO.

13
 Binary Search

[0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Target > key of midpoint? YES.

14
 Binary Search

[0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Search for the target in the area after midpoint.

15
 Binary Search

[0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Find approximate midpoint.

Is target = midpoint key? YES.

16
 Relation to Binary Search Tree

Array of previous example:

3 6 7 11 32 33 53

orresponding complete binary search tree

11
6 33

3 7 32 53

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 Search for target = 7
Find midpoint:
3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Start at root:

11
6 33

3 7 32 53

18
 Search for target = 7
Search left subarray:
3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Search left subtree:

11
6 33

3 7 32 53

19
 Search for target = 7
Find approximate midpoint of
subarray:
3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Visit root of subtree:

11
6 33

3 7 32 53

20
 Search for target = 7
Search right subarray:
3 6 7 11 32 33 53

Search right subtree:

11
6 33

3 7 32 53

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 Binary Search: Analysis
Best Case: O(1)
Worst case complexity?
What is the maximum depth of recursive calls in binary
search as function of n?
Each level in the recursion, we split the array in half (divide
by two).
Therefore maximum recursion depth is floor(log2n) and
worst case = O(log2n).
Average case is also = O(log2n).

Worst case of Linear search: O(n)

Best case of Linear search: O(1)

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