What is linear search in Python?

What is linear search in Python?

Linear search is a simple algorithm that checks each element in a list sequentially until the desired element is found.

Can you show me a code example of linear search in Python?

Sure! Here's a basic example:

def linear_search(arr, target):
    for index, value in enumerate(arr):
        if value == target:
            return index
    return -1

# Example usage:
arr = [5, 3, 8, 4, 2]
target = 4
result = linear_search(arr, target)
print(result)  # Output: 3

What is the time complexity of linear search?

The time complexity of linear search is O(n), where n is the number of elements in the list.

When should I use linear search instead of other search algorithms?

You should use linear search when the list is small or unsorted, as it is simple to implement and requires no additional data structures.