Which of the following sorting algorithms is the fastest in the average case for large datasets?
a) Quick Sort
b) Bubble Sort
c) Selection Sort
d) Insertion Sort
Answer:
a) Quick Sort
Explanation:
Quick Sort is one of the fastest sorting algorithms in the average case, with a time complexity of O(n log n). It is efficient for large datasets due to its divide-and-conquer approach, where the list is partitioned into smaller sublists and sorted independently.
Although the worst-case time complexity of Quick Sort is O(n^2), this can be avoided with good pivot selection strategies, such as choosing the median or using randomized pivoting.
Bubble Sort, Selection Sort, and Insertion Sort have worse average-case time complexities of O(n^2), making them less suitable for large datasets compared to Quick Sort.
Reference:
DSA (Data Structures and Algorithms) MCQ Questions and Answers