CODEWITHSUNDEEP
pythonlist
Mohib
Mohib

Reputation: 43

Iterative binary search in python

in the conditionals why don't you have to write high = data[middle_term] - 1. I understand why you do it in the actual if/else statements

data = [1,2,3,6,9,12,15,18,20]
def binary_search_algorthim(data,target):
    low = 0
    high = len(data) - 1

    while low <= high:
        middle_term = (low + high) // 2
        if target == data[middle_term]:
            return True
        elif target < data[middle_term]:
            high = middle_term - 1
            print("high",high)
        elif target > data[middle_term]:
            low = middle_term + 1
            print("low", low)
    return False

Upvotes: 1

Views: 170

Answers (1)

lenik
lenik

Reputation: 23498

high and low are not the actual numbers from your data, they just mark the place where the actual numbers are, so when you want to compare to target you don't compare the place and the value, you have to compare the value at the place and the value.

Hence, target (value) = data[ (position) ] (again, a value)

Upvotes: 1

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