What are the differences between Binary Search Trees and Arrays?

What are the differences between Binary Search Trees and Arrays?

Binary Search Trees (BSTs) are hierarchical data structures that allow for efficient searching, insertion, and deletion, while arrays are linear data structures that provide fast access to elements by index.

Can you explain the advantages of using a BST over an array?

Sure! BSTs allow for dynamic data management, meaning you can easily insert and delete elements without needing to resize like in arrays. They also provide faster search times in average cases.

What about the disadvantages of BSTs?

One major disadvantage of BSTs is that they can become unbalanced, leading to degraded performance. In the worst case, a BST can behave like a linked list with O(n) time complexity for search operations.

How do arrays handle searching compared to BSTs?

Arrays allow for O(1) access time for elements by index, but searching for an element requires O(n) time in the worst case unless the array is sorted and you use binary search, which is O(log n).