Question

How many minimum number of comparisons are required to search an element from 'n' elements in Linear Search?

• A. 1
• B. n - 1
• C. n
• D. n + 1

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

To determine the minimum number of comparisons required to search for an element in a list using Linear Search, we start by understanding the process of Linear Search. Linear Search iterates through each element of the list from the beginning until it finds the target element or reaches the end of the list.

In the best-case scenario, the element being searched for is the first element of the list. In this case, only one comparison is needed to find the element. Thus, the minimum number of comparisons required is: 1

The steps involved in Linear Search for reaching this minimum are as follows:

• Compare the target element with the first element of the list.
• If it matches, the search is complete.

This highlights that the best case for Linear Search requires just a single comparison, making the correct answer: 1.

Answer 2

The minimum number of comparisons required to search an element from 'n' elements using Linear Search is 1.

Additional Context:

• Best Case Scenario:
  • Target element is the first item in the list
  • Only 1 comparison needed
  • Time complexity: O(1)
• Other Cases:
  • Worst case: n comparisons (last element or not present)
  • Average case: (n+1)/2 comparisons
• Comparison with Binary Search:
  • Linear search doesn't require sorted data
  • More efficient than binary for small datasets
• Practical Example:
  • Searching for "A" in ["A","B","C"] → 1 comparison

Correct Answer: (1) 1.