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7.1: Compute the extreme value

  • Page ID
    49310
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    We will prove that array[1] is the minimum element in the heap. We prove it by seeing a contradiction if some other element is less than the first element. Suppose array[i] is the first instance of the minimum, with array[j] > array[i] for all j < i, and i >= 2. But by the heap invariant array, array[floor(i/2)] <= array[i]: this is a contradiction.

    Therefore, it is easy to compute MIN(heap):

      MIN(heap)
         return heap.array[1];
    

    This page titled 7.1: Compute the extreme value is shared under a CC BY-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Wikibooks - Data Structures (Wikipedia) .

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