master-algorithms-py/searching

binary search

• a binary search operates on a contiguous sequence with a specified left and right index (this is called the search space).

• binary searching is composed of 3 sections:

  • pre-processing: sort if collection is unsorted
  • binary search: using a loop or recursion to divide search space in half after each comparison (O(log(N))
  • **post-processing`: determine viable candidates in the remaining space

• there are 3 "templates" when writing a binary search:

  • while left < right, with left = mid + 1 and right = mid - 1
  • while left < right, with left = mid + 1 and right = mid, and left is returned
  • while left + 1 < right, with left = mid and right = mid, and left and right are returned

---

iterative

    if lens(nums) == 0:
        return False
        
    lower, higher = 0, len(array)

    while lower < higher:
        mid = (higher + lower) // 2
        
        if array[mid] == item:
            return mid 
        elif array[mid] > item:
            higher = mid - 1
        else:
            lower = mid + 1
            
    return False

---

recursive

def binary_search_recursive(array, item, higher=None, lower=0):

    higher = higher or len(array)
    
    if higher < lower:
        return False
    
    mid = (higher + lower) // 2
    
    if  item == array[mid]:
        return mid
        
    elif item < array[mid]:
        return binary_search_recursive(array, item, mid - 1, lower)
        
    else:
        return binary_search_recursive(array, item, higher, mid + 1)

---

in a matrix

def binary_search_matrix(matrix, item, lower=0, higher=None):

    if not matrix:
        return False
    
    rows = len(matrix)
    cols = len(matrix[0])
    higher = higher or rows * cols

    if higher > lower:
        mid = (higher + lower) // 2
        row = mid // cols
        col = mid % cols

        if item == matrix[row][col]:
            return row, col
        elif item < matrix[row][col]:
            return binary_search_matrix(matrix, item, lower, mid - 1)
        else:
            return binary_search_matrix(matrix, item, mid + 1, higher)
        
    return False