Binary_Search_Tree_Algorithms_Flashcards

Question 1

How does a binary search tree (BST) work?

Answer 1

Each node has at most two children; the left child contains smaller values, the right child contains larger values.

Question 2

What is the main advantage of using a binary search tree?

Answer 2

It allows efficient searching, insertion, and deletion with average time complexity of O(log n) if balanced.

Question 3

What is the difference between searching in a BST and an array?

Answer 3

BST uses node comparisons and has average O(log n) complexity; array search is linear (O(n)) unless it’s a binary search on a sorted array.

Question 4

What are the steps to insert a value into a binary search tree?

Answer 4

Compare the value to the current node, go left if smaller or right if larger, and repeat until an empty position is found.

Question 5

What are the steps to remove a node from a binary search tree?

Answer 5

Handle three cases: node has no children (remove directly), one child (replace with child), or two children (replace with in-order successor or predecessor).