Page 26 - DCAP605_ADVANCED_DATA_STRUCTURE_AND_ALGORITHMS

Unit 1: Introduction to Data Structure and Arrays

1.7 Summary Notes

Data structure is a combination of one or more basic data types to form a single addressable
data type.
An algorithm is a finite set of instructions which, when followed, accomplishes a particular

task, the termination of which is guaranteed under all cases, i.e. the termination is
guaranteed for every input.
The instructions must be unambiguous and the algorithm must produce the output within

a finite number of executions of its instructions.
Associated with each data structure, there are some algorithms to perform the basic
operations on the elements.

Abstract data type (ADT) is a mathematical model with a collection of operations defi ned
on that model. Although the terms ‘data type’, ‘data structure’ and ‘abstract data type’
sound alike, they have different meanings.
1.8 Keywords

Linear Data Structure: A linear data structure traverses the data elements sequentially, in which
only one data element can directly be reached.

Non-linear Data Structure: Every data item is attached to several other data items in a way that
is specific for reflecting relationships. The data items are not arranged in a sequential structure.

Searching: Finding the location of the record with a given key value, or finding the locations of

all records, which satisfy one or more conditions.
Transversing: Accessing each record exactly once so that certain items in the record may be
processed.

1.9 Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
1. The memory of a computer is simply a group of ..................................
2. A .................................. is typically a large list that is stored in the external memory of a
computer.

3. An .................................. is an ordered set which contains a fixed number of objects.

4. .................................. is a combination of one or more basic data types to form a single
addressable data type along with operations defined on it.

5. Adding new records to the structure is known as ..................................
State whether the following statements are true or false:
6. An array is an example of list.
7. Linked lists can not use the concept of dynamic memory allocation.
8. Each element of the list is called a node and consists of two or more members.

9. At machine level, the data is stored as strings containing 1’s and 0’s.
10. A tool to specify the logical properties of a data type is Abstract Data Type.

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