ELEE28706D ALGORITHMS AND DATA

STRUCTURES

,
Nazrul Khan PhD, PEng.

1
ELEE28706D Algorithms and Data Structures

Today’s Learning Outcome

1. Getting to know each other

2. Understanding the course, its goals, content and requirements

 Class Plan

3. Introduction to data, data structure, and algorithms

4. Some house keeping information

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Getting to know each other

NAZRUL Khan, Ph.D, P.Eng

Professor and Coordinator(EET)
EXT. 5000
Room: c274
Office Hours:
Virtual meeting through appointment only.

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 DREAM

IF YOU HAVE A DREAM….

GO FOR IT.
 Challenged!

NEVER GIVE UP

Face it.
 Tips!

How to do good in this course?

 Come to the class and participate in the class: there is no alternative to that
 Ask questions
 Write computer program implementing and applying data structure and
algorithms
 ELEE28706D Algorithms and Data Structures

We will explore:

- Algorithms for solving problems efficiently.

- Data structures for efficient storing, accessing, and modifying data.

But, in conclusion:

- There is no ultimate data structure/algorithm…

- The choice depends on our requirements

Courtesy: Douglas@uwaterloo
 ELEE28706D Algorithms and Data Structures

Consider accessing the kth entry in an array or linked list

In an array, we can access it using an index array[k]

We must step through the first k – 1 nodes in a linked list

Consider searching for an entry in a sorted array or linked list

In a sorted array, we use a fast binary search
 Very fast
We must step through all entries less than the entry we’re looking
for
 Slow

Courtesy: Douglas@uwaterloo
 ELEE28706D Algorithms and Data Structures

However, consider inserting a new entry to the start of an array or a

linked list
– An array requires that you copy all the elements in the array over
• Slow for large arrays

– A linked list allows you to make the insertion very quickly

• Very fast regardless of size

Courtesy: Douglas@uwaterloo
 Data & Algorithms
Data and Data item:
 It is a value or set of values. 7,5, Harry etc.,
 Data item refers to a single unit (item) of those data.
Data items are generally organized in a hierarchical way (fields,
records, files etc.,)

Entity:
Something distinct with some properties and having values
(Numeric/Non-numeric).

Property: Name(Nazrul) Nazrul is an

Property: Age(60) entity!
 Data & Algorithms
Entity Set:
- All the students in the class with similar properties can form an
Entity
Set.
- Each property of an Entity Set has a range of values (allowed values

for that property).

Field:
A field is a single piece of information (value) representing a property of
an entity.
Record/structure:
A record is one complete set of fields for an entity.
File:
A file is a collection of records of the entities in a entity set.
 Data & Algorithms
Data Type:
- It is a classification that specifies which type of value and operation
that can be performed.

In java:
Primitive: int, float, char, double, boolean etc.,
Non-primitive: Data types (class, object, array, string, and interface)
that are not defined by the programming language but are created by
the programmer.
 Data & Algorithms
Data Structure:
 A particular way to organize data so that a set of specific operations
can be performed.
 Schemes for organizing data that leave them amenable
(manageable) to efficient processing by an algorithm.

Governed by:
 It must mimic the real world data
 Must be amenable to efficient data processing.
 Data & Algorithms
Data Structure:
Logical data representation that specifies:

 A set of data elements and

 A set of operations that can be applied to the data elements for
efficient processing.

DS uses some common

operations to manipulate
& process the data.
 Data & Algorithms
Operations:
The possible operations on the linear data structure are:

 Traversal
 Insertion
 Deletion
 Searching
 Sorting
 Merging

Traversal: Processing (accessing) all the data elements (records)

present in it.
 Data & Algorithms
Operations:

Insertion: Adding a new record to the data structure.

Deletion: Removing of a data element (record) from the data structure.

Searching: Searching a specific data element (with a key value) in a

data structure.

Sorting: Arranging data elements of a data structure in a specific order.

Merging: Combining elements of two similar data structures to form a

new data structure of the same type.
 Data & Algorithms
Design of Data Structure:

 Logical picture of the data

 Representation of data

 Operations on the data

 Quantitative analysis of the structure in terms of resource

(memory) and time to process.
 Data & Algorithms
Data Structures

Courtesy: scanftree
 Data & Algorithms
Algorithms:

- A finite, deterministic, and effective problem-solving method suitable

for implementation as a computer program.
- We can define an algorithm by writing a computer program that
implements the procedure.
- Most algorithms of interest involve organizing the data involved in
the computation.
- Learning algorithms enabling us to do tasks that would otherwise be
impossible.
- Choosing the best algorithm involves sophisticated mathematical
analysis.
 Data & Algorithms
Algorithms:

- In fact, the programs, you developed in the past, is a combination of

algorithms and data structures.
- May be, you didn’t realize that at that time.
- Data structures are quite distinct from algorithms.
- We will focus on abstract data types and analysis of data structures
and algorithms.
- Compare them in terms of time and memory.
- Remember, data structures effect algorithm’s performance!
 Good to know…

Algorithm:
A sequence of steps that is unambiguous, executable, and
terminating is called an algorithm. The existence of an algorithm
is an essential prerequisite for programming a task.
 Data & Algorithms
Famous Algorithms:

- Euclid’s algorithm (computing the greatest common divisor (GCD) of

two integers.
- Search Engines(www)
- Shortest path (Dijkstra)
- Fast Fourier Transform
- Compression (Huffman)
- Parity Check (Parity Error)
- etc.,
 Data & Algorithms
Euclid’s Algorithm:
(Compute the greatest common divisor of two non-negative integers p
and q)

public static int gcd (int p, int q)

{
if(q == 0) return p;
int r = p % q;
return gcd (q,r);
}
 Data & Algorithms
Algorithm Comparison:
Computing Factorial
public static int calfact (int p)
{
if(p <= 1) return 1;
else
return p*calfact (p-1); Which one
}
public static int calfact (int p)
is the
{ better?
int value = 0;
if(p <= 1) return 1;
else
{
value = 1;
for(int q = 2; q <= p; q++)
value *= q
return value;
}}
 Data & Algorithms
Algorithms in action:
- Network traffic management
- Database transactions and analysis
- Scientific data analysis and computing
- Sensor networks
- Data communications and data transmissions
- ….and so on.
How google finds
your documents??
 Data & Algorithms
At the end:

- Study of data structures and algorithms is interesting and exciting.

- With data structures, we can organize data in a amenable way
- With algorithms, we process those data in an efficient way
- That is what we aim to explore in this course.
 Good to know…

Programming:

You need to first discover and describe an algorithm for the task
that you want to solve before you start programming.
 and you know …

Programming:

A sequence of statements, telling the computer:

1. What to do and
2. How to do.
Computer doesn’t do any thing of its own!
 in this course …

we are exploring data structures and implementing/applying

algorithm in those data structures by writing computer program.
This is not a computer programming course!
 in this course …

But, we need to write computer program!

We will use java as the language
Your C programming skill will also be handy!
Remember, array, structure, and pointers!
 in this course …

As always, you will be given Tim (virtual, of course!) for

answering critical questions.
As such, participate in the class.
 ELEE28706D Algorithms and Data Structures

Suggestive Reading list:

1. Algorithms, Fourth Edition, Robert Sedgewick, Kevin Wayne
2. Java Concepts Late Objects, 3/e, Cay Horstmann
 Acknowledgements

1. DouglasWilhelmHarder@uwaterloo
2. Algs4.cs@princeton
3. Dr. Abul Kashem Mia@buet