Question

The add method uses ensureCapacity(manyItems*2 + 1). What would go wrong if we forgot the +1"?

Answer 1

Omitting the +1 in the ensureCapacity calculation may cause issues when the current size is zero because the capacity would remain zero after doubling, and for larger sizes, it can lead to less optimal space utilization.

Step-by-step explanation:

The method ensureCapacity is typically used in the context of data structures such as arrays or arraylists in Computer Science. When you add an item to a data structure that is at its capacity, the ensureCapacity method helps to prevent the need for frequent resizing which is expensive in terms of performance. By increasing the capacity to manyItems*2 + 1, space for future additions is created in advance. If you omit the +1, there could be an issue when manyItems is zero because the capacity would still be zero after doubling, and this would not allow room for the new item. Even when manyItems is greater than zero, excluding the +1 could result in less optimal space utilization and a potential immediate resize when the next item is added, depending on the implementation of the data structure.