Algorithms

Introduction
The methods of algorithm design form one of the core
practical technologies of computer science.
The main aim of this lecture is to familiarize the student
with the framework we shall use through the course
about the design and analysis of algorithms.
We start with a discussion of the algorithms needed to
solve computational problems. The problem of sorting is
used as a running example.
We introduce a pseudocode to show how we shall
specify the algorithms.

Algorithms
The word algorithm comes from the name of a Persian
mathematician Abu Jafar Mohammed ibn-i Musa al
Khowarizmi.
In computer science, this word refers to a special
method useable by a computer for solution of a problem.
The statement of the problem specifies in general terms
the desired input/output relationship.
For example, sorting a given sequence of numbers into
nondecreasing order provides fertile ground for
introducing many standard design techniques and
analysis tools.

The problem of sorting

Insertion Sort

Example of Insertion Sort

Example of Insertion Sort

Example of Insertion Sort

Example of Insertion Sort

Example of Insertion Sort

Example of Insertion Sort

Example of Insertion Sort

Example of Insertion Sort

Example of Insertion Sort

Example of Insertion Sort

Example of Insertion Sort

Analysis of algorithms
The theoretical study of computer-program
performance and resource usage.
Whats more important than performance?
modularity
correctness
maintainability
functionality
robustness
user-friendliness
programmer time
simplicity
extensibility
reliability

Analysis of algorithms
Why study algorithms and performance?
Algorithms help us to understand scalability.
Performance often draws the line between what is feasible
and what is impossible.
Algorithmic mathematics provides a language for talking
about program behavior.
The lessons of program performance generalize to other
computing resources.
Speed is fun!

Running Time
The

running time depends on the input: an already

sorted sequence is easier to sort.
Parameterize the running time by the size of the
input, since short sequences are easier to sort than
long ones.
Generally, we seek upper bounds on the running
time, because everybody likes a guarantee.

Kinds of analyses
Worst-case: (usually)
T(n) = maximum time of algorithm on any input of
size n.
Average-case: (sometimes)
T(n) = expected time of algorithm over all inputs of
size n.
Need assumption of statistical distribution of inputs.
Best-case:
Cheat with a slow algorithm that works fast on some
input.

Machine-Independent time
The RAM Model
Machine independent algorithm design depends on a
hypothetical computer called Random Acces Machine (RAM).
Assumptions:
Each simple operation such as +, -, if ...etc takes exactly
one time step.
Loops and subroutines are not considered simple
operations.
Each memory acces takes exactly one time step.

Machine-independent time

What is insertion sorts worst-case time?

It depends on the speed of our computer,
relative speed (on the same machine),
absolute speed (on different machines).
BIG IDEA:
Ignore machine-dependent constants.
Look at growth of T ( n) as n
Asymptotic Analysis

Machine-independent time: An example

A pseudocode for insertion sort ( INSERTION SORT ).
INSERTION-SORT(A)
1 for j 2 to length [A]
2
do key A[ j]
3
Insert A[j] into the sortted sequence A[1,..., j-1].
4
i j1
5
while i > 0 and A[i] > key
6
do A[i+1] A[i]
7
ii1
8
A[i +1] key

Analysis of INSERTION-SORT(contd.)
INSERTION - SORT(A)
1 for j 2 to length [ A]
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

do key A[ j ]

cost times
c1
n
c2

n 1

Insert A[ j ] into the sorted

sequence A[1 j 1]
0
i j 1
c4

n 1
n 1

while i 0 and A[i ] key

do A[i 1] A[i ]
i i 1
A[i 1] key

c5

c6

c7

c8

n 1

n
t
j 2 j

n
(t
j 2 j
n
(t
j 2 j

1)
1)

Analysis of INSERTION-SORT(contd.)

The total running time is

n

j 2

j 2

T (n) c1 c2 (n 1) c4 (n 1) c5 t j c6 (t j 1)
n

c7 (t j 1) c8 (n 1).
j 2

Analysis of INSERTION-SORT(contd.)

The best case: The array is already sorted.

(tj =1 for j=2,3, ...,n)

T (n) c1n c2 (n 1) c4 (n 1) c5 (n 1) c8 (n 1)

(c1 c2 c4 c5 c8 )n (c2 c4 c5 c8 ).

Analysis of INSERTION-SORT(contd.)
The worst case: The array is reverse sorted
(tj =j for j=2,3, ...,n).

n(n 1)
j
j 1
2
n

T (n) c1n c2 (n 1) c5 (n(n 1) / 2 1)

c6 (n(n 1) / 2) c7 (n(n 1) / 2) c8 (n 1)
(c5 / 2 c6 / 2 c7 / 2)n 2 (c1 c2 c4 c5 / 2 c6 / 2 c7 / 2 c8 )n

T (n) an 2 bn c

Growth of Functions
Although we can sometimes determine the exact
running time of an algorithm, the extra precision is not
usually worth the effort of computing it.
For large inputs, the multiplicative constants and lower
order terms of an exact running time are dominated by
the effects of the input size itself.

Asymptotic Notation
The notation we use to describe the asymptotic running
time of an algorithm are defined in terms of functions
whose domains are the set of natural numbers

N 0, 1, 2, ...

O-notation
For a given function g (n) , we denote by O( g (n)) the
set of functions
f (n) : there exist positive constants c and n0 s.t.
O( g (n))

f
(
n
)

cg
(
n
)
for
all
n

n
0

We use O-notation to give an asymptotic upper bound of

a function, to within a constant factor.
f (n) O( g (n)) means that there existes some constant c
s.t. f (n) is always cg (n) for large enough n.

-Omega notation
For a given function
set of functions

g (n) , we denote by ( g (n)) the

f (n) : there exist positive constants c and n0 s.t.

( g (n))

0 cg (n) f (n) for all n n0

We use -notation to give an asymptotic lower bound on

a function, to within a constant factor.
f (n) ( g (n)) means that there exists some constant c s.t.
f (n)

cg (n)

is always

for large enough n.

 -Theta notation
For a given function g (n), we denote by ( g (n)) the
set of functions
f (n) : there exist positive constants c1 , c2 , and n0 s.t.
( g (n))

0 c1 g (n) f (n) c2 g (n) for all n n0

A function f (n) belongs to the set ( g (n)) if there exist

positive constants c1 and c2 such that it can be sandwiched between c1 g ( n) and c2 g ( n) or sufficienly large n.
f (n) ( g (n)) means that there exists some constant c1
and c2 s.t. c1 g (n) f (n) c 2 g (n) for large enough n.

Asymptotic notation

Graphic examples of

, O,

and .

Example 1.
1 2
2
f
(
n
)

3
n

(
n
)
Show that
2

We must find c1 and c2 such that

1 2
2
c1n n 3n c2 n 2
2
Dividing bothsides by n2 yields
1 3
c1 c2
2 n
For n0 7 ,

1 2
n 3n (n 2 )
2

Theorem
For any two functions f (n) and g (n) , we have

f (n) ( g (n))
if and only if

f (n) O ( g (n)) and f (n) ( g (n)).

Example 2.
f (n) 3n 2 2n 5 (n 2 )

Because :
3n 2 2n 5 (n 2 )
3n 2 2n 5 O (n 2 )

Example 3.
3n 2 100n 6 O(n 2 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 3n 2 100n 6

Example 3.
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 2 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 3n 2 100n 6
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 3 ) since for c 1, n 3 3n 2 100n 6 when n 3

Example 3.
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 2 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 3n 2 100n 6
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 3 ) since for c 1, n 3 3n 2 100n 6 when n 3
3n 2 100n 6 O(n)

since for any c, cn 3n 2 when n c

Example 3.
3n 2 100n 6 O(n 2 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 3n 2 100n 6
3n 2 100n 6 O(n 3 ) since for c 1, n 3 3n 2 100n 6 when n 3
3n 2 100n 6 O( n)

since for any c, cn 3n 2 when n c

3n 2 100n 6 ( n 2 ) since for c 2, 2n 2 3n 2 100n 6 when n 100

Example 3.
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 2 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 3n 2 100n 6
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 3 ) since for c 1, n 3 3n 2 100n 6 when n 3
3n 2 100n 6 O(n)

since for any c, cn 3n 2 when n c

3n 2 100n 6 (n 2 ) since for c 2, 2n 2 3n 2 100n 6 when n 100

3n 2 100n 6 ( n 3 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 100n 6 n 3 when n 3

Example 3.
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 2 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 3n 2 100n 6
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 3 ) since for c 1, n 3 3n 2 100n 6 when n 3
3n 2 100n 6 O(n)

since for any c, cn 3n 2 when n c

3n 2 100n 6 (n 2 ) since for c 2, 2n 2 3n 2 100n 6 when n 100

3n 2 100n 6 ( n 3 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 100n 6 n 3 when n 3
3n 2 100n 6 (n)

since for any c, cn 3n 2 100n 6 when n 100

Example 3.
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 2 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 3n 2 100n 6
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 3 ) since for c 1, n 3 3n 2 100n 6 when n 3
3n 2 100n 6 O(n)

since for any c, cn 3n 2 when n c

3n 2 100n 6 (n 2 ) since for c 2, 2n 2 3n 2 100n 6 when n 100

3n 2 100n 6 ( n 3 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 100n 6 n 3 when n 3
3n 2 100n 6 (n)
3n 2 100n 6 (n 2 )

since for any c, cn 3n 2 100n 6 when n 100

since both O and apply.

Example 3.
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 2 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 3n 2 100n 6
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 3 ) since for c 1, n 3 3n 2 100n 6 when n 3
3n 2 100n 6 O(n)

since for any c, cn 3n 2 when n c

3n 2 100n 6 (n 2 ) since for c 2, 2n 2 3n 2 100n 6 when n 100

3n 2 100n 6 ( n 3 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 100n 6 n 3 when n 3
3n 2 100n 6 (n)
3n 2 100n 6 (n 2 )

since for any c, cn 3n 2 100n 6 when n 100

since both O and apply.

3n 2 100n 6 (n 3 ) since only O applies.

Example 3.
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 2 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 3n 2 100n 6
3n 2 100n 6 O( n 3 ) since for c 1, n 3 3n 2 100n 6 when n 3
3n 2 100n 6 O(n)

since for any c, cn 3n 2 when n c

3n 2 100n 6 (n 2 ) since for c 2, 2n 2 3n 2 100n 6 when n 100

3n 2 100n 6 ( n 3 ) since for c 3, 3n 2 100n 6 n 3 when n 3
3n 2 100n 6 (n)
3n 2 100n 6 (n 2 )

since for any c, cn 3n 2 100n 6 when n 100

since both O and apply.

3n 2 100n 6 (n 3 ) since only O applies.

3n 2 100n 6 (n)

since only applies.

Standard notations and common functions

Floors and ceilings

x 1 x x x x 1

Standard notations and common functions

Logarithms:

lg n log 2 n
ln n log e n
log k n (log n) k
lg lg n lg(lg n)

Standard notations and common functions

Logarithms:
For all real a>0, b>0, c>0, and n

ab
log c (ab) log c a log c b
log b a

log b a n n log b a
log c a
log b a
log c b

Standard notations and common functions

Logarithms:

log b (1 / a ) log b a
a log b c c log b a
1
log b a
log a b

Standard notations and common functions

Factorials
For n 0 the Stirling approximation:

n
n! 2n
e

1
1
n

n! o(n n )
n! (2 n )
lg(n!) (n lg n)