Question

An array of length n is searched for a key word. On average, how many steps will it take to find the key?

A) n
B) n/2
C) log(n)
D) n^2

Answer 1

On average, it will take n/2 steps to find the keyword in an array of length n using a linear search algorithm. This is the expected number of steps as, typically, the keyword will be located about halfway through the array.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to the average number of steps required to find a keyword in an array of length n. If we are assuming that we are using a linear search algorithm, which checks each element one by one in sequence, then on average it will take n/2 steps to find the key. This is because, on average, the key will be found about halfway through the array. Therefore, the correct answer is B) n/2.

However, if a binary search algorithm is used instead of a linear search, the average number of steps would be C) log(n), but this requires the array to be sorted in advance. Since the question does not specify that the array is sorted or the type of search used, we assume it's a linear search giving the answer as B) n/2.