What is the difference between binary trees and binary search trees?

What is the difference between binary trees and binary search trees?

Binary trees are a general structure where each node has at most two children. Binary search trees (BSTs) are a specific type of binary tree where the left child is less than the parent and the right child is greater.

Can you give me an example of a binary search tree?

Sure! For instance, if we insert the numbers 5, 3, 7, 2, and 4 into a BST, it would look like this:

    5
   / \
  3   7
 / \
2   4

Each left child is less than its parent, and each right child is greater.

Are there any advantages of using binary search trees?

Yes, binary search trees allow for efficient searching, insertion, and deletion operations, typically in O(log n) time, assuming the tree is balanced.

What happens if a binary search tree becomes unbalanced?

If a BST becomes unbalanced, its performance degrades to O(n) for operations, similar to a linked list. This is why self-balancing trees like AVL or Red-Black trees are often used.