Question

Write an algorithm that finds the smallest element in the sequence s₁,s₂,…,sₙ of n distinct numbers. The input is the sequence, s, and the index, n, of the last term of the sequence. The output is the index of the smallest element in the sequence.

Answer 1

To find the smallest element in a sequence, you can use a simple algorithm called linear search.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the smallest element in a sequence, you can use a simple algorithm called linear search. Here's how it works:

Start by assuming the first element in the sequence is the smallest.

Iterate through the sequence, comparing each element with the assumed smallest element. If a smaller element is found, update the assumed smallest element and its index.

After scanning the entire sequence, the index of the smallest element will be the final output.

For example, let's say we have the sequence [5, 2, 9, 1, 8]. The algorithm will start by assuming that the first element (5) is the smallest. It will then compare 5 with 2, and since 2 is smaller, it becomes the new assumed smallest element. The algorithm continues to compare 2 with 9, 1, and 8, and each time it finds a smaller element, it updates the assumed smallest element. In the end, the index of the smallest element (1) is returned as the output.