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Selection Sort Algorithm

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Selection Sort is a fundamental sorting algorithm that operates by selecting the minimum element from an unsorted array and placing it at the beginning of the sorted section. Despite its simplicity and educational value for teaching basic sorting principles, Selection Sort's quadratic time complexity of O(n^2) makes it inefficient for large datasets. It remains a valuable teaching tool and is suitable for small arrays or systems where consistent performance is paramount.

Exploring the Basics of Selection Sort Algorithm

The Selection Sort algorithm is an elementary sorting technique taught in introductory computer science courses. It is a comparison-based algorithm that sorts an array by repeatedly finding the minimum element from the unsorted section and moving it to the end of the sorted section. This process continues iteratively until the entire array is sorted. Although Selection Sort is simple and easy to understand, it is not optimal for large datasets due to its \(O(n^2)\) time complexity, indicating that the time required to sort the elements increases quadratically with the size of the input.
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The Inner Workings of Selection Sort

Selection Sort begins by searching for the smallest element in the array and swapping it with the element in the first position. It then looks for the smallest element in the remaining unsorted section and swaps it with the element in the second position. This procedure is repeated for each position in the array until the entire list is sorted. The algorithm performs the sort in place, meaning it does not require additional memory, making it space-efficient. However, the lack of additional memory does not improve its time efficiency, as it still compares each element with all others in the unsorted section.

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00

In ______ Sort, the smallest element is initially swapped with the element in the ______ position.

Selection

first

01

Despite being space-efficient by sorting in place, ______ Sort does not enhance time efficiency, still requiring comparisons among all elements in the ______ section.

Selection

unsorted

02

Selection Sort Java Implementation

Written within a method, uses nested loops to iterate, find min element, and swap.

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