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In quick sort, for sorting n elements, the (n/4)th smallest element is selected as pivot using an O(n) time algorithm. What is the worst case time complexity of the quick sort?
  • a)
    θ(n)
  • b)
    θ(nLogn)
  • c)
    θ(n^2)
  • d)
    θ(n^2 log n)
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
In quick sort, for sorting n elements, the (n/4)th smallest element is...
The recursion expression becomes: T(n) = T(n/4) + T(3n/4) + cn After solving the above recursion, we get
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In quick sort, for sorting n elements, the (n/4)th smallest element is...
Understanding Quick Sort with a Good Pivot Selection
Quick Sort is a widely used sorting algorithm that can perform efficiently with the right choice of pivot. When the (n/4)th smallest element is selected as the pivot using an O(n) algorithm, it significantly improves the performance in the worst-case scenario.
Why the (n/4)th Element as Pivot?
- Selecting the (n/4)th element ensures that at least 1/4 of the elements are on either side of the pivot.
- This balanced partitioning means that even in the worst case, the recursion depth remains logarithmic.
Time Complexity Breakdown
- The recursive nature of Quick Sort requires sorting the left and right partitions.
- If the pivot divides the array into two parts where one part has at least 1/4 of the elements, the recursive relation can be expressed as:
T(n) = T(n/4) + T(3n/4) + O(n)
- The O(n) term comes from the partitioning process.
Solving the Recursion
- Using the Master Theorem or the recursive tree method, the depth of recursion is log(n).
- Each level of the recursion performs O(n) work due to partitioning.
Final Complexity
- The total time complexity sums up to O(n log n):
- Each of the log(n) levels performs O(n) work.
Thus, the worst-case time complexity of Quick Sort when using the (n/4)th element as a pivot is indeed:
Option B: θ(n log n)
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