Quick Sort is a divide-and-conquer sorting algorithm that partitions the input array into smaller subarrays based on a pivot element and recursively sorts the subarrays.
Core Characteristics
- Efficient for large datasets due to its average-case time complexity
- In-place sorting algorithm that requires minimal extra memory
- Not a stable algorithm, meaning it does not preserve the relative order of equal elements
Key Operations
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Sort() This operation selects a pivot element and partitions the array so that all elements smaller than the pivot are placed on its left, and all elements greater than the pivot are placed on its right. This process is repeated until the entire array is sorted.. average case: O(n log n) - Log-linear time operationworst case: O(n^2) - Quadratic time operation
Common Applications
- Sorting large datasets where memory efficiency is critical
- Used in scenarios where average-case performance is preferred
- Applicable in systems where in-place sorting is required