Sorting Algorithm Cheat Sheet



Merge Sort: Array: O(n log(n)) O(n log(n)) O(n log(n)) O(n) Heapsort: Array: O(n log(n)) O(n log(n)) O(n log(n)) O(1) Bubble Sort: Array: O(n) O(n^2) O(n^2) O(1) Insertion Sort: Array: O(n) O(n^2) O(n^2) O(1) Select Sort: Array: O(n^2) O(n^2) O(n^2) O(1) Bucket Sort: Array: O(n+k) O(n+k) O(n^2) O(nk) Radix Sort: Array: O(nk) O(nk) O(nk) O(n+k).

  • Big O cheat sheets; intro; big O notation; data structures; algorithms. Press the button to sort the column in ascending or descending order Hover over any row to focus on it; Sorting Algorithms; Sorting Algorithms Space complexity Time complexity; Worst case Best case Average case Worst case; Insertion Sort: O(1) O(n) O(n 2.
  • Merge sort is one of the most flexible sorting algorithms in java known to mankind (yes.
  • Sorting algorithms Cheat Sheet by pryl via cheatography.com/66402/cs/16808/ Sorting algorithm comple xities Algo rithms Average Case Memory comple xity Bitonic sorter log n n log n Bogosort n × n! 1 Bubble sort n 1 Bucket sort (uniform keys) n+k nk Burstsort n(k/d) n(k/d) Counting sort n+r n+r Heap sort n log n 1 Insertion sort.

Sorting algorithms are a fundamental part of computer science. Being able to sort through a large data set quickly and efficiently is a problem you will be likely to encounter on nearly a daily basis.

Here are the main sorting algorithms:

AlgorithmData StructureTime Complexity - BestTime Complexity - AverageTime Complexity - WorstWorst Case Auxiliary Space Complexity
QuicksortArrayO(n log(n))O(n log(n))O(n^2)O(n)
Merge SortArrayO(n log(n))O(n log(n))O(n log(n))O(n)
HeapsortArrayO(n log(n))O(n log(n))O(n log(n))O(1)
Bubble SortArrayO(n)O(n^2)O(n^2)O(1)
Insertion SortArrayO(n)O(n^2)O(n^2)O(1)
Select SortArrayO(n^2)O(n^2)O(n^2)O(1)
Bucket SortArrayO(n+k)O(n+k)O(n^2)O(nk)
Radix SortArrayO(nk)O(nk)O(nk)O(n+k)

Another crucial skill to master in the field of computer science is how to search for an item in a collection of data quickly. Here are the most common searching algorithms, their corresponding data structures, and time complexities.

Here are the main searching algorithms:

AlgorithmData StructureTime Complexity - AverageTime Complexity - WorstSpace Complexity - Worst
Depth First SearchGraph of |V| vertices and |E| edges-O(|E|+|V|)O(|V|)
Breadth First SearchGraph of |V| vertices and |E| edges-O(|E|+|V|)O(|V|)
Binary SearchSorted array of n elementsO(log(n))O(log(n))O(1)
Brute ForceArrayO(n)O(n)O(1)
Bellman-FordGraph of |V| vertices and |E| edgesO(|V||E|)O(|V||E|)O(|V|)

Graphs are an integral part of computer science. Mastering them is necessary to become an accomplished software developer. Here is the data structure analysis of graphs:

Node/Edge ManagementStorageAdd VertexAdd EdgeRemove VertexRemove EdgeQuery
Adjacency ListO(|V|+|E|)O(1)O(1)O(|V| + |E|)O(|E|)O(|V|)
Incidence ListO(|V|+|E|)O(1)O(1)O(|E|)O(|E|)O(|E|)
Adjacency MatrixO(|V|^2)O(|V|^2)O(1)O(|V|^2)O(1)O(1)
Incidence MatrixO(|V| ⋅ |E|)O(|V| ⋅ |E|)O(|V| ⋅ |E|)O(|V| ⋅ |E|)O(|V| ⋅ |E|)O(|E|)

Storing information in a way that is quick to retrieve, add, and search on, is a very important technique to master. Here is what you need to know about heap data structures:

HeapsHeapifyFind MaxExtract MaxIncrease KeyInsertDeleteMerge
Sorted Linked List-O(1)O(1)O(n)O(n)O(1)O(m+n)
Unsorted Linked List-O(n)O(n)O(1)O(1)O(1)O(1)
Binary HeapO(n)O(1)O(log(n))O(log(n))O(log(n))O(log(n))O(m+n)
Binomial Heap-O(log(n))O(log(n))O(log(n))O(log(n))O(log(n))O(log(n))
Fibonacci Heap-O(1)O(log(n))*O(1)*O(1)O(log(n))*O(1)


We summarize the performance characteristics of classic algorithms anddata structures for sorting, priority queues, symbol tables, and graph processing.

We also summarize some of the mathematics useful in the analysis of algorithms, including commonly encountered functions;useful formulas and appoximations; properties of logarithms;asymptotic notations; and solutions to divide-and-conquer recurrences.


Sorting.

The table below summarizes the number of compares for a variety of sortingalgorithms, as implemented in this textbook.It includes leading constants but ignores lower-order terms.
ALGORITHMCODEIN PLACESTABLEBESTAVERAGEWORSTREMARKS
selection sortSelection.java½ n 2½ n 2½ n 2n exchanges;
quadratic in best case
insertion sortInsertion.javan¼ n 2½ n 2use for small or
partially-sorted arrays
bubble sortBubble.javan½ n 2½ n 2rarely useful;
use insertion sort instead
shellsortShell.javan log3nunknownc n 3/2tight code;
subquadratic
mergesortMerge.java½ n lg nn lg nn lg nn log n guarantee;
stable
quicksortQuick.javan lg n2 n ln n½ n 2n log n probabilistic guarantee;
fastest in practice
heapsortHeap.javan2 n lg n2 n lg nn log n guarantee;
in place
n lg n if all keys are distinct


Priority queues.

The table below summarizes the order of growth of the running time ofoperations for a variety of priority queues, as implemented in this textbook.It ignores leading constants and lower-order terms.Except as noted, all running times are worst-case running times.
DATA STRUCTURECODEINSERTDEL-MINMINDEC-KEYDELETEMERGE
arrayBruteIndexMinPQ.java1nn11n
binary heapIndexMinPQ.javalog nlog n1log nlog nn
d-way heapIndexMultiwayMinPQ.javalogdnd logdn1logdnd logdnn
binomial heapIndexBinomialMinPQ.java1log n1log nlog nlog n
Fibonacci heapIndexFibonacciMinPQ.java1log n11 log n1
amortized guarantee


Symbol tables.

The table below summarizes the order of growth of the running time ofoperations for a variety of symbol tables, as implemented in this textbook.It ignores leading constants and lower-order terms.
worst caseaverage case
DATA STRUCTURECODESEARCHINSERTDELETESEARCHINSERTDELETE
sequential search
(in an unordered list)
SequentialSearchST.javannnnnn
binary search
(in a sorted array)
BinarySearchST.javalog nnnlog nnn
binary search tree
(unbalanced)
BST.javannnlog nlog nsqrt(n)
red-black BST
(left-leaning)
RedBlackBST.javalog nlog nlog nlog nlog nlog n
AVL
AVLTreeST.javalog nlog nlog nlog nlog nlog n
hash table
(separate-chaining)
SeparateChainingHashST.javannn1 1 1
hash table
(linear-probing)
LinearProbingHashST.javannn1 1 1
uniform hashing assumption


Graph processing.

The table below summarizes the order of growth of the worst-case running time and memory usage (beyond the memory for the graph itself)for a variety of graph-processing problems, as implemented in this textbook.It ignores leading constants and lower-order terms.All running times are worst-case running times.


PROBLEMALGORITHMCODETIMESPACE
pathDFSDepthFirstPaths.javaE + VV
shortest path (fewest edges)BFSBreadthFirstPaths.javaE + VV
cycleDFSCycle.javaE + VV
directed pathDFSDepthFirstDirectedPaths.javaE + VV
shortest directed path (fewest edges)BFSBreadthFirstDirectedPaths.javaE + VV
directed cycleDFSDirectedCycle.javaE + VV
topological sortDFSTopological.javaE + VV
bipartiteness / odd cycleDFSBipartite.javaE + VV
connected componentsDFSCC.javaE + VV
strong componentsKosaraju–SharirKosarajuSharirSCC.javaE + VV
strong componentsTarjanTarjanSCC.javaE + VV
strong componentsGabowGabowSCC.javaE + VV
Eulerian cycleDFSEulerianCycle.javaE + VE + V
directed Eulerian cycleDFSDirectedEulerianCycle.javaE + VV
transitive closureDFSTransitiveClosure.javaV (E + V)V 2
minimum spanning treeKruskalKruskalMST.javaE log EE + V
minimum spanning treePrimPrimMST.javaE log VV
minimum spanning treeBoruvkaBoruvkaMST.javaE log VV
shortest paths (nonnegative weights)DijkstraDijkstraSP.javaE log VV
shortest paths (no negative cycles)Bellman–FordBellmanFordSP.javaV (V + E)V
shortest paths (no cycles)topological sortAcyclicSP.javaV + EV
all-pairs shortest pathsFloyd–WarshallFloydWarshall.javaV 3V 2
maxflow–mincutFord–FulkersonFordFulkerson.javaEV (E + V)V
bipartite matchingHopcroft–KarpHopcroftKarp.javaV ½ (E + V)V
assignment problemsuccessive shortest pathsAssignmentProblem.javan 3 log nn 2


Commonly encountered functions.

Here are some functions that are commonly encounteredwhen analyzing algorithms.
FUNCTIONNOTATIONDEFINITION
floor( lfloor x rfloor )greatest integer (; le ; x)
ceiling( lceil x rceil )smallest integer (; ge ; x)
binary logarithm( lg x) or (log_2 x)(y) such that (2^{,y} = x)
natural logarithm( ln x) or (log_e x )(y) such that (e^{,y} = x)
common logarithm( log_{10} x )(y) such that (10^{,y} = x)
iterated binary logarithm( lg^* x )(0) if (x le 1;; 1 + lg^*(lg x)) otherwise
harmonic number( H_n )(1 + 1/2 + 1/3 + ldots + 1/n)
factorial( n! )(1 times 2 times 3 times ldots times n)
binomial coefficient( n choose k )( frac{n!}{k! ; (n-k)!})


Useful formulas and approximations.

Here are some useful formulas for approximations that are widely used in the analysis of algorithms.
  • Harmonic sum: (1 + 1/2 + 1/3 + ldots + 1/n sim ln n)
  • Triangular sum: (1 + 2 + 3 + ldots + n = n , (n+1) , / , 2 sim n^2 ,/, 2)
  • Sum of squares: (1^2 + 2^2 + 3^2 + ldots + n^2 sim n^3 , / , 3)
  • Geometric sum: If (r neq 1), then(1 + r + r^2 + r^3 + ldots + r^n = (r^{n+1} - 1) ; /; (r - 1))
    • (r = 1/2): (1 + 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + ldots + 1/2^n sim 2)
    • (r = 2): (1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + ldots + n/2 + n = 2n - 1 sim 2n), when (n) is a power of 2
  • Stirling's approximation: (lg (n!) = lg 1 + lg 2 + lg 3 + ldots + lg n sim n lg n)
  • Exponential: ((1 + 1/n)^n sim e; ;;(1 - 1/n)^n sim 1 / e)
  • Binomial coefficients: ({n choose k} sim n^k , / , k!) when (k) is a small constant
  • Approximate sum by integral: If (f(x)) is a monotonically increasing function, then( displaystyle int_0^n f(x) ; dx ; le ; sum_{i=1}^n ; f(i) ; le ; int_1^{n+1} f(x) ; dx)


Properties of logarithms.

  • Definition: (log_b a = c) means (b^c = a).We refer to (b) as the base of the logarithm.
  • Special cases: (log_b b = 1,; log_b 1 = 0 )
  • Inverse of exponential: (b^{log_b x} = x)
  • Product: (log_b (x times y) = log_b x + log_b y )
  • Division: (log_b (x div y) = log_b x - log_b y )
  • Finite product: (log_b ( x_1 times x_2 times ldots times x_n) ; = ; log_b x_1 + log_b x_2 + ldots + log_b x_n)
  • Changing bases: (log_b x = log_c x ; / ; log_c b )
  • Rearranging exponents: (x^{log_b y} = y^{log_b x})
  • Exponentiation: (log_b (x^y) = y log_b x )


Aymptotic notations: definitions.

NAMENOTATIONDESCRIPTIONDEFINITION
Tilde(f(n) sim g(n); )(f(n)) is equal to (g(n)) asymptotically
(including constant factors)
( ; displaystyle lim_{n to infty} frac{f(n)}{g(n)} = 1)
Big Oh(f(n)) is (O(g(n)))(f(n)) is bounded above by (g(n)) asymptotically
(ignoring constant factors)
there exist constants (c > 0) and (n_0 ge 0) such that (0 le f(n) le c cdot g(n)) forall (n ge n_0)
Big Omega(f(n)) is (Omega(g(n)))(f(n)) is bounded below by (g(n)) asymptotically
(ignoring constant factors)
( g(n) ) is (O(f(n)))
Big Theta(f(n)) is (Theta(g(n)))(f(n)) is bounded above and below by (g(n)) asymptotically
(ignoring constant factors)
( f(n) ) is both (O(g(n))) and (Omega(g(n)))
Little oh(f(n)) is (o(g(n)))(f(n)) is dominated by (g(n)) asymptotically
(ignoring constant factors)
( ; displaystyle lim_{n to infty} frac{f(n)}{g(n)} = 0)
Little omega(f(n)) is (omega(g(n)))(f(n)) dominates (g(n)) asymptotically
(ignoring constant factors)
( g(n) ) is (o(f(n)))


Common orders of growth.

NAMENOTATIONEXAMPLECODE FRAGMENT
Constant(O(1))array access
arithmetic operation
function call
Logarithmic(O(log n))binary search in a sorted array
insert in a binary heap
search in a red–black tree
Linear(O(n))sequential search
grade-school addition
BFPRT median finding
Linearithmic(O(n log n))mergesort
heapsort
fast Fourier transform
Quadratic(O(n^2))enumerate all pairs
insertion sort
grade-school multiplication
Cubic(O(n^3))enumerate all triples
Floyd–Warshall
grade-school matrix multiplication
Polynomial(O(n^c))ellipsoid algorithm for LP
AKS primality algorithm
Edmond's matching algorithm
Exponential(2^{O(n^c)})enumerating all subsets
enumerating all permutations
backtracing search


Asymptotic notations: properties.

  • Reflexivity: (f(n)) is (O(f(n))).
  • Constants: If (f(n)) is (O(g(n))) and ( c > 0 ),then (c cdot f(n)) is (O(g(n)))).
  • Products: If (f_1(n)) is (O(g_1(n))) and ( f_2(n) ) is (O(g_2(n)))),then (f_1(n) cdot f_2(n)) is (O(g_1(n) cdot g_2(n)))).
  • Sums: If (f_1(n)) is (O(g_1(n))) and ( f_2(n) ) is (O(g_2(n)))),then (f_1(n) + f_2(n)) is (O(max { g_1(n) , g_2(n) })).
  • Transitivity: If (f(n)) is (O(g(n))) and ( g(n) ) is (O(h(n))),then ( f(n) ) is (O(h(n))).
  • Polynomials: Let (f(n) = a_0 + a_1 n + ldots + a_d n^d) with(a_d > 0). Then, ( f(n) ) is (Theta(n^d)).
  • Logarithms and polynomials: ( log_b n ) is (O(n^d)) for every ( b > 0) and every ( d > 0 ).
  • Exponentials and polynomials: ( n^d ) is (O(r^n)) for every ( r > 0) and every ( d > 0 ).
  • Factorials: ( n! ) is ( 2^{Theta(n log n)} ).
  • Limits: If ( ; displaystyle lim_{n to infty} frac{f(n)}{g(n)} = c)for some constant ( 0 < c < infty), then(f(n)) is (Theta(g(n))).
  • Limits: If ( ; displaystyle lim_{n to infty} frac{f(n)}{g(n)} = 0),then (f(n)) is (O(g(n))) but not (Theta(g(n))).
  • Limits: If ( ; displaystyle lim_{n to infty} frac{f(n)}{g(n)} = infty),then (f(n)) is (Omega(g(n))) but not (O(g(n))).


Here are some examples.

Cheat
FUNCTION(o(n^2))(O(n^2))(Theta(n^2))(Omega(n^2))(omega(n^2))(sim 2 n^2)(sim 4 n^2)
(log_2 n)
(10n + 45)
(2n^2 + 45n + 12)
(4n^2 - 2 sqrt{n})
(3n^3)
(2^n)


Divide-and-conquer recurrences.

For each of the following recurrences we assume (T(1) = 0)and that (n,/,2) means either (lfloor n,/,2 rfloor) or(lceil n,/,2 rceil).

Sorting And Searching Algorithms Cheat Sheet

RECURRENCE(T(n))EXAMPLE
(T(n) = T(n,/,2) + 1)(sim lg n)binary search
(T(n) = 2 T(n,/,2) + n)(sim n lg n)mergesort
(T(n) = T(n-1) + n)(sim frac{1}{2} n^2)insertion sort
(T(n) = 2 T(n,/,2) + 1)(sim n)tree traversal
(T(n) = 2 T(n-1) + 1)(sim 2^n)towers of Hanoi
(T(n) = 3 T(n,/,2) + Theta(n))(Theta(n^{log_2 3}) = Theta(n^{1.58...}))Karatsuba multiplication
(T(n) = 7 T(n,/,2) + Theta(n^2))(Theta(n^{log_2 7}) = Theta(n^{2.81...}))Strassen multiplication
(T(n) = 2 T(n,/,2) + Theta(n log n))(Theta(n log^2 n))closest pair


Master theorem.

Let (a ge 1), (b ge 2), and (c > 0) and suppose that(T(n)) is a function on the non-negative integers that satisfiesthe divide-and-conquer recurrence$$T(n) = a ; T(n,/,b) + Theta(n^c)$$with (T(0) = 0) and (T(1) = Theta(1)), where (n,/,b) meanseither (lfloor n,/,b rfloor) or either (lceil n,/,b rceil).
  • If (c < log_b a), then (T(n) = Theta(n^{log_{,b} a}))
  • If (c = log_b a), then (T(n) = Theta(n^c log n))
  • If (c > log_b a), then (T(n) = Theta(n^c))
Remark: there are many different versions of the master theorem. The Akra–Bazzi theoremis among the most powerful.

Sorting Algorithms Complexity Cheat Sheet


Big O Sorting Cheat Sheet

Last modified on September 12, 2020.
Copyright © 2000–2019Robert SedgewickandKevin Wayne.All rights reserved.