Hash Tables

Hashing is a technique used uniquely to identify a specific object from a group of similar objects. For example in universities, each student is assigned a unique identification number that can be used to retrieve information. In this case the students has been hashed to a unique number.

Hashing generally uses a system where an object will ne assigned with a specific key to make searching far easier. Keys normally take the form of a simple array. In hashing large keys are converted into small keys by using hash functions and the values are then stored in a hash table.

a = hashfunc(key) -> hashing
b = hash % array_size -> making the index

Hashing is implemented in 2 steps:
1. An element is converted into an integer by using the hash function, then it is used as an index to          store the original elements (goes into the hash table).

2. The element stored in the hash table can be retrieved by using a hashed key.

Hash Function

A hash function is any function that is used to map a data set of an arbitrary size to a data set of a fixed size, which then goes into the hash table. The values returned by a hash function are called hash values (or hash codes, or hash sums, or hash).

Criteria of a good hashing mechanism:
1. Ease to compute: Must not become an algorithm in itself
2. Uniform distribution: It should not result in clustering
3. Avoid collisions: can occur when pairs of elements are mapped to the same hash value

Binary Tree

A binary tree is a tree data structure where each node has a maximum of 2 child nodes.

·        Parent = node above a child node

·        Children = nodes below a parent node

·        Leaves  / external = nodes with no children

·        Siblings = nodes with the same parent

Full Binary Tree

A full binary tree is a binary tree in which each node has exactly 0 or 2 children.

Complete Binary Tree
A complete binary tree is a binary tree which is completely filled with the possible exception of the bottom level, which is filled from left to right. A complete binary tree provides the best possible ration between the number of nodes and the height. The height h of a complete binary tree with N nodes is at most O(log N).

Trees are so useful and frequently used because:
1. Trees reflects the structural relationship within the data
2. Trees shows the hierarchies
3. Trees provide an efficient insertion and searching
4. Trees are very flexible data

Traversals

Traversal algorithms are divided into 2 kinds:

·        Depth-First Traversal

·        Breadth-First Traversal

There are 3 different types of depth-first traversals:

·        PreOrder traversal – visit the parent first and then left and right children

·        InOrder traversal – visit the left child, then the parent and the right child

·        PostOrder traversal – visit the left child, then the right child then the parent

PreOrder = 8, 5, 9, 7, 1, 12, 2, 4, 11, 3
InOrder = 9, 5, 1, 7, 2, 12, 8, 4, 3, 11
PostOrder = 9, 1, 2, 12, 7, 5, 3, 11, 4, 8
LevelOrder = 8, 5, 4, 9, 7, 11, 1, 12, 3, 2

Insertion

Deletion

Things to look for in deletion:

·        Is not in a tree

·        Is a leaf

·        Has only 1 child

·        Has 2 child

Searching

Searching in a BST always starts at the root. To search the data stored at the root will be compared to the key we are searching for (use “toSearch”). If the node does not contain the key then it will check the next node.

Searching with BST has O(h) worst-case runtime complexity, where h is the height of the tree while binary search will take at least O(log n). Unfortunately, a binary search tree can degenerate to a linked list, reducing the search time to O(n).

Stacks Concept

A linear data structure implemented by either an array or a linked list. The array is follows the LIFO (Last In First Out) rule set. As a result the last data that was put into the array is also the first data that gets taken out first. A stack uses 2 important variables.
Max -> Represents the maximum data that can be stored.
Top -> Represents the most recent data.

Queue Concept

A linear data structure where elements can only be inserted from the bottom and used from the top. This concept follows the FIFO (First In First Out) rule set.

Circular Queue

In a circular queue the start of the queue connects to the end of the queue thus creating a circular pattern in which the elements are rotated upon.

Infix, Prefix, Postfix
Infix, prefix and postfix are three different but equivalent ways of writing expressions.

Infix = Operators are written in-between their operands. ( X + Y )

Prefix = Operators are written before their operands ( + X Y )

Postfix = Operators are written after their operands. ( X Y + )

Depth First Search (DFS)

Depth First Search is an algorithm used for searching within a tree or graph formed data structure. The algorithm starts at the root node and explores as far as possible along each branch before backtracking

Breadth First Search (BFS)
Breadth First Search is an algorithm used for searching within a tree or graph formed data structure. The algorithm starts at the tree root and explores all of the neighbor nodes at the present depth prior to moving on to the nodes at the next depth level.

Breath First Search uses the opposite strategy as DFS. In DFS it explores the node branch as far as possible before backtracking and then expanding to other nodes.