Introduction
Linear Search Technique: Linear Search is a simple search algorithm
that checks each element in a list, one at a time, to find the target element.
It does not require the list to be sorted and works on any dataset.
How can we search for an element?
- Start at the first element of the array.
- Compare each element with the target element.
- If a match is found, return the index of the matching element.
- If the entire array is traversed without finding the target, return "Not Found."
Important Observations
- The algorithm does not rely on the dataset being sorted.
- The search process stops as soon as the target element is found.
- In the worst case, the algorithm examines all elements.
Key Characteristics:
- Works on both sorted and unsorted datasets.
- Simple to implement.
Advantages:
- No preprocessing or sorting required.
- Applicable to small or unsorted datasets.
- Stops immediately when the target element is found.
Disadvantages:
- Not efficient for large datasets.
- Worst-case time complexity is (O(n)).
Time Complexity:
- Best Case: (O(1)) (target found at the first element).
- Average Case: (O(n)).
- Worst Case: (O(n)).