Question

What is one advantage of storing partial summations and partial maximums when updating an element in a stack?

a) It simplifies the representation of complete binary trees.
b) It reduces the need for arrays in data storage.
c) It saves computation and improves efficiency.
d) It enables faster retrieval of specific elements.

Answer 1

Storing partial summations and partial maximums in a stack saves computation and improves efficiency by eliminating the need to recalculate these values every time they are queried.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to the concept of data structures in the field of Computers and Technology, more specifically to operations on a stack. When we store partial summations and partial maximums, it allows us to save computation time when repeatedly querying for these values. For example, in a scenario where we require the maximum value in a stack or the summed value of elements up to a certain point, having these partial values already computed and stored means that we don't need to traverse the stack and calculate them from scratch each time a query is made. This greatly improves efficiency and reduces the computational complexity of such operations. Therefore, the correct answer is:

c) It saves computation and improves efficiency.