Glossary of Terms

Binary Search

Keyword Definition
Balanced Binary Search Tree It is a binary search tree where the heights of the two subtrees of any node differ by at most one.
Binary Search Algorithm that searches a sorted list or array by repeatedly dividing in half until the desired item is found.
Binary Search Tree It is a data structure that allows fast searching, insertion and deletion of elements, using the binary search algorithm on a sorted tree.
Comparison It is the act of checking if two values are equal, greater than or less than each other.
Divide And Conquer A problem-solving strategy that involves breaking a problem into smaller sub-problems, solving them independently and combining their solutions.
Height It is the length of the longest path from a node to a leaf in a binary search tree.
In-Order Traversal It is a traversing method for binary search trees where the left subtree is recursively traversed, followed by the root, and then the right subtree.
Index It is a position in an array where an element is located.
Iteration It is the repetition of a process in order to achieve a desired outcome, usually with the aim of approaching a goal in small steps.
Leaf It is a node in a binary search tree that has no children.
Mid-Point It is the point in the search interval that divides it into two equal halves.
Node It is a fundamental unit of a binary search tree that contains a value and links to its children.
Post-Order Traversal It is a traversing method for binary search trees where the left and right subtrees are first recursively traversed, followed by the root.
Pre-Order Traversal It is a traversing method for binary search trees where the root is visited first, followed by the left and right subtrees recursively.
Search Interval It is the range of elements in which the binary search algorithm looks for the target element.
Sorted Array It is an array where the elements are arranged in increasing order.
Space Complexity It is the amount of memory used by an algorithm to run as a function of the size of the input.
Target Element It is the element being searched for in the binary search algorithm.
Time Complexity It is the amount of time taken by an algorithm to run as a function of the size of the input.
Traversing It is the process of visiting all the nodes in a binary search tree in a specific order, such as in-order, pre-order and post-order.