平均时间复杂度_【干货】算法 | max函数的平均时间复杂度

Proof of 

average running time of max()

recall that the code for max:

def maximum(A, n):     # # of RAM operations, type of operation        v = float('-inf')  # 1, Assigning a value        for i in range(n): # 3n + 1,                       #   n Arithmetic operation (i + 1)                       #   n Assigning a value (i = i + 1)                       #   n + 1 Comparison operation (i < n)                            if A[i] > v:   # n, Comparison operation            v = A[i]   # X,                       #   a random variable X that has (0 < X <= 2n)    return v           # 1

Assume

1. all possible orderings are equally likely (meaning each value has a equall probability being the largest value of the subarray A[0-i])

2. all n elements of A are distinct

3. update takes O(1)

Key idea

The running maximum gets updated on iteration i if and only if max([A[0] ... A[i]]) = A[i]. Since the probability of each value being the largest value of the subarray is known, we can calculate the total expected update count of this algorithm.

Set up indicator random variable X_i

if v updated on iteration i 

X_i = 1

else

X_i = 0

The distribution of X_i

The Expectation of X_i

Total exact updates

Total expected updates

which reduce to the nth harmonic number

because (gamma is Euler's constant)

The average case running time T(n) of max(A, n) is

文案 / CUCS学术部 梁力天

编辑 / CUCS宣传部

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