Question

I am using binary search to search a number from a sorted array of numbers in O(log(n)) time. My C function for search is as follows:

search(int array[],int size,int search)
 {
 int first=0;
 int last=size-1;
 int middle = (first+last)/2;
   while( first <= last )
   {
      if ( array[middle] < search )
         first = middle + 1;    
      else if ( array[middle] == search ) 
      {
         printf("%d found at location %d.\n", search, middle+1);
         break;
      }
      else
         last = middle - 1;

      middle = (first + last)/2;
   }
   if ( first > last )
      printf("Not found! %d is not present in the list.\n", search);
}

Here size is the size of array and search is the number to search.
Is there any way to perform the search in less complexity then the above program?

Answer 1

Yes, use a hash table. It should be faster in the average case.