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A software company used to run an algorithm sequentially on one server. As more users start using their app, the company decided to rewrite the program to be parallel. It is now run on four separate servers instead of one Thanks to the use of a parallel algorithm, the same process that used to take 40 minutes to run now only requires 20 minutes. The company is considering purchasing additional computers to decrease the time the program runs even further. Which of the following best describes the impacts of running the parallel algorithm on an even larger number of computers?

a. The algorithm will likely require more time since it is now being run sequentially on more computers.
b. The algorithm will likely require the same amount of time to run because it is processing the same amount of data
c. The algorithm will likely require less time to run though the improvements in efficiency will not be as significant as before.
d. The algorithm is unlikely to still run since parallel algorithms are not designed to scale to additional computers

2 Answers

5 votes

Final answer:

The algorithm will likely require less time to run on more computers, but at a point, the efficiency gains will diminish due to parallel processing overheads and limitations. The correct answer is option (C).

Step-by-step explanation:

The impact of running a parallel algorithm on an increased number of computers after already having seen improvements goes as follows: As computers can process tasks in parallel, adding additional computers has the potential to reduce the overall running time of a program, as long as the algorithm is efficiently parallelizable and there are enough tasks that can be done concurrently without causing a bottleneck due to inter-process communication or data dependencies. Thus, the most accurate option in this scenario is:

c. The algorithm will likely require less time to run though the improvements in efficiency will not be as significant as before.

Your understanding can be deepened by considering that in the long run, a company facing increased demand might seek to operate more efficiently. In the context of software operations, this could mean acquiring additional servers (or PCs) in order to handle larger volumes of tasks, theoretically continuing to reduce the time taken for computations. However, it's vital to recognize that there are limits to the benefits gained from parallelization, due to the aforementioned challenges and potential overheads in coordinating tasks across an increasing number of processors.

User CgodLEY
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3.6k points
8 votes

Answer:

a. The algorithm will likely require more time since it is now being run sequentially on more computers.

Step-by-step explanation:

Algorithm is a program which is used in solving complex problems. The algorithms helps in solving complex problems. This computer software enables the users to easily solve complex problems within minutes. The algorithm enables feature which are now run on different computers sequentially.

User Kacper Dziubek
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3.0k points