Introduction to Algorithm - Summary of Chapter 7 - Quicksort

Introduction of The Chapter

Quicksort algorithm has a worst-case running tine of $\Theta (n^2)$, and a expected running time of $\Theta (nlgn)$.It runs in place and is not stable.

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Description of quicksort

Quick sort applices the divide-and-conquer paradigm. The three steps of it show :

1. Divide : Partition the array A[p..r] into two subarrays A[p..q-1] and A[q+1..r] such that each element of A[p..q-1] is less than or equal to A[p], which is , in turn , less than or equal to eack element of A[q+1..r]. Compute the index q as part of this partition procedure.
2. Conquer : Sort the two subarrays by recursive calls to quick sort
3. Combine : Because the two subarrays are already sorted, no work is needed to combine them.

Quick-Sort (A, p, r)
    if p < r
        q = Partition (A, p, r)
        Quick-Sort (A, p, q-1)
        Quick-Sort (A, q+1，r)

Partition (A, p, r)
    x = A[r]
    i = p - 1
    for j=p to r-1
        if A[j] <= x
            i = i+1
            exchange A[i] with A[j]
    exchange A[i+1] with A[r]
    return i+1

The Partition has a running time of $\Theta (n)$ on the subarray A[p..r].

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Performance of quick sort

Worst-case : The every call of Partition partition the array into a subarray with 0 element and n-1 elements. So the recurrence for running time is
$T(n) = T (n-1) + T(0) + \Theta(n) = \Theta(n^2)$
The worst-case running time occurs when the input is already completely sorted.

Best-case : Partition produce two subproblems, each of size no more than n/2. So the recurrence for running time is
$T(n) = 2T (n/2) + \Theta(n) = \Theta(nlgn)$

Average-case : The recurrence for running time is still $O(nlgn)$, but with a slightly larger constant hidden by the $O$-notation.

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A randomized version of quicksort

Selecting randomly the chosen element from A[p..r] to be the pivot.

Randomized-Partition (A, p, r)
    i = Random (p, r)
    exchange A[r] with a[i]
    return Partition (A, p, r)

Randomized-QuickSort (A, p, r)
    if p < r
        q = Randomized-Paritition (A, p, r)
        Randomized-QuickSort (A, p, q-1)
        Randomized-QuickSort (A, q+1, r)

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Analysis of quicksort

Worst-case :
$T(n) = \max \limits_{0\le q \le n-1} (T(q) + T(n-q-1)) +\Theta(n)$
using the substitute model, we assume $T(n) \le cn^2$, and $\theta (n) = c_0n$.
T(n)≤cmax0≤q≤n−1(q2+(n−q