Search Algorithms: Differences Between Sequential Search and Binary Search, and Which Is Faster?

The article introduces two basic search algorithms: sequential search and binary search, which are used to locate specific elements in data. Sequential search (linear search) works by comparing elements one by one. It does not require the data to be ordered, with a time complexity of O(n) (where n is the amount of data). Its advantage is simplicity, but its drawback is low efficiency, making it suitable for small data volumes or unordered data. Binary search (half-interval search) requires the data to be sorted. It narrows down the search range by half through comparison, with a time complexity of O(log n). It is highly efficient (e.g., only about 10 comparisons needed when n=1000), but it requires handling boundary conditions, and is suitable for large-sized ordered data. Comparison of the two: Sequential search does not require data ordering and is simple to implement but inefficient; binary search requires ordering and has higher complexity but is faster. The choice depends on data size and ordering: binary search for large ordered data and sequential search for small unordered data.