Introduction to Data
Structure and Algorithm
Outline
Data Structures
Abstract Data Types
Abstraction
Algorithms
Properties of an algorithm
Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithms Analysis
A program
A set of instruction which is written in
order
to solve a problem.
A solution to a problem actually consists
of
two things:
A way to organize the data
Sequence of steps to solve the problem
Introduction....(continued)
The way data are organized in a computers
memory is said to be Data Structure.
Thesequence of computational steps to
solve a problem is said to be an Algorithm.
Therefore,
a program is Data structures
plus Algorithm.
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Introduction to Data Structures
Data structures are used to model the world or
part of the world. How?
1. The value held by a data structure represents some
specific characteristic of the world.
2. The characteristic being modeled restricts the possible
values held by a data structure and the operations to
be performed on the data structure
The first step to solve the problem is
obtaining ones own abstract view, or
model, of the problem.
This process of modeling is called
abstraction.
Introduction....(continued)
Abstraction
The model defines an abstract view to
the
problem.
Themodel should only focus on 6
problem
Abstraction
Abstraction is a process of classifying characteristics
as relevant and irrelevant for the particular
purpose at hand and ignoring the irrelevant ones.
Example: model students of BDU.
Relevant:
Char Name[15];
Char ID[11];
Char Dept[20];
int Age, year;
Non relevant
float hieght, weight; 7
Abstraction....(continued)
Using the model, a programmer tries to
define the properties of the problem.
These properties include
The data which are affected and
The operations that are involved in the problem
An entity with the properties just described 8
is called an abstract data type (ADT).
Abstract Data Types
Consists of data to be stored and operations
supported on them.
Is a specification that describes a data set and
the operation on that data.
The ADT specifies:
What data is stored.
What operations can be done on the data.
Does not specify how to store or how to
implement the operation.
Is independent of any programming language 9
ADT....(continued)
Example: ADT employees of an organization:
This ADT stores employees with their relevant
attributes and discarding irrelevant attributes.
Relevant:- Name, ID, Sex, Age, Salary, Dept,
Address
Non Relevant :- weight, color, height
This ADT supports hiring, firing, retiring,
…
operations. 10
Data Structure
In Contrast a data structure is a
language construct that the programmer
has defined in order to implement an
abstract data type.
Whatis the purpose of data structures in
programs?
Data structures are used to model a problem. 11
Data Structure
Example:
struct Student_Record
{
char name[20];
char ID_NO[10];
char Department[10];
int age;
};
Attributes of each variable:
Name: Textual label.
Address: Location in memory.
Scope: Visibility in statements of a program.
Type: Set of values that can be stored + set of operations that can be performed.
Size: The amount of storage required to represent the variable.
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Life time: The time interval during execution of a program while the variable exists.
Algorithm
Isa brief specification of an operation for
solving a problem.
isa well-defined computational procedure that
takes some value or a set of values as input and
produces some value or a set of values as
output.
Inputs Algorithm
Outputs
An algorithm is a specification of a behavioral
process. It consists of a finite set of instructions
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that govern behavior step-by-step.
Algorithm
Data structures model the static part of the
world. They are unchanging while the world
is changing.
Inorder to model the dynamic part of the
world we need to work with algorithms.
Algorithmsare the dynamic part of a
program’s world model.
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Algorithm
An algorithm transforms data structures
from one state to another state.
What is the purpose of algorithms in programs?
Take values as input. Example: cin>>age;
Change the values held by data structures. Example:
age=age+1;
Change the organization of the data structure:
Example:
Sort students by name
Produce outputs:
Example: Display student’s information
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Algorithm
The quality of a data structure is related to its
ability to successfully model the characteristics
of the world (problem).
Similarly, the quality of an algorithm is related
to its ability to successfully simulate the
changes in the world.
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Algorithm
However, the quality of data structure and
algorithms is determined by their ability to work
together well.
Generallyspeaking, correct data structures lead
to simple and efficient algorithms.
And correct algorithms lead to accurate and
efficient data structures.
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Properties of Algorithms
Finiteness:
Algorithm must complete after a finite
number of steps.
Algorithm should have a finite number of
steps.
Finite int i=0; Infinite while(true){
while(i>10){ cout<<“Hello”;
cout<< i; }
i++;
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}
Definiteness (Absence of ambiguity):
Each step must be clearly defined, having
one and only one interpretation.
At each point in computation, one should be
able to tell exactly what happens next.
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Sequential:
Each step must have a uniquely defined
preceding and succeeding step.
The first step (start step) and last step (halt
step) must be clearly noted.
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Feasibility:
It must be possible to perform each
instruction.
Each instruction should have possibility to
be executed.
1) for(int i=0; i<0; i++){
cout<< i; // there is no possibility
} that this statement to
be executed.
2) if(5>7) {
cout<<“hello”; // not executed.
}
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Correctness
It must compute correct answer for all
possible legal inputs.
The output should be as expected and
required and correct.
Language Independence:
It must not depend on any one programming
language.
Completeness:
It must solve the problem completely.
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Effectiveness:
Doing the right thing. It should yield the
correct result all the time for all of the
Efficiency:
possible cases.
It must solve with the least amount of
computational resources such as time and
space.
Producing an output as per the requirement
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E x a mp le:
Write a program that takes a number and
displays the square of the number.
1) int x;
cin>>x;
cout<<x*x;
2) int x,y;
cin>>x;
y=x*x;
cout<<y;
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E x a mp le:
Write a program that takes two numbers and
displays the sum of the two.
Program a Program b Program c
cin>>a; cin>>a;
cin>>a;
cin>>b; cin>>b; cin>>b;
sum = a+b; a = a+b; cout<<a+b;
cout<<sum; cout<<a;
Which one is most efficient and which are effective?
Program c the most efficient
All are effective but with different efficiencies.
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Input/output:
There must be a specified number of input
values, and one or more result values.
Zero or more inputs and one or more
outputs.
Simplicity:
A good general rule is that each step should carry
out one logical step.
What is simple to one processor may not be simple to
another.
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Next Class
Chapter Two
Algorithm Analysis Concepts
Complexity Analysis
Formal Approach to Analysis
Asymptotic Analysis
The Big-Oh Notation
Big-Omega Notation
Theta Notation
