Sorting Algorithms: Bubble Sort, Selection Sort, Insertion Sort

Question 1

For small arrays (less than 100 elements), which sorting algorithm is typically the most efficient?

Accepted Answer

Insertion Sort

Answer

Bubble Sort

Answer

Selection Sort

Answer

Merge Sort

Question 2

Which of the following statements about the time complexity of insertion sort is accurate?

Accepted Answer

Best-case time complexity: O(n)

Accepted Answer

Worst-case time complexity: O(n^2)

Answer

Average-case time complexity: O(n^3)

Question 3

Which of the following succinctly describes the essential mechanism of bubble sort?

Accepted Answer

It iteratively compares adjacent elements, exchanging them if they are out of order.

Answer

It repeatedly identifies the minimum element from the unsorted section and positions it at the end.

Answer

It partitions the array into two subarrays, recursively sorting each subarray.

Answer

It arranges the array by repeatedly inserting each element into its appropriate position.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a disadvantage associated with bubble sort?

Accepted Answer

Can be enhanced using the optimized cocktail sort

Answer

Inefficiency for large arrays

Answer

Requires multiple iterations through the array

Answer

Unstable sorting algorithm

Question 5

What is the average time complexity of selection sort?

Accepted Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n log n)

Question 6

Which of the following is a crucial distinction between bubble sort and insertion sort?

Accepted Answer

Bubble sort exchanges adjacent elements, while insertion sort places elements in their correct positions.

Answer

Bubble sort is more efficient for large arrays, while insertion sort is more efficient for small arrays.

Answer

Bubble sort is stable, whereas insertion sort is not.

Answer

Bubble sort requires additional memory, while insertion sort does not.

Question 7

What is the worst-case scenario for insertion sort?

Accepted Answer

When the array is in reverse order.

Answer

When the array is already sorted.

Answer

When the array contains numerous duplicate values.

Answer

When the array is large.

Question 8

What is the primary optimization technique employed in cocktail sort?

Accepted Answer

Swapping elements in both directions (ascending and descending)

Answer

Reducing the number of passes through the array

Answer

Utilizing a sentinel value to mark the end of the sorted portion

Answer

Reducing the number of comparisons using sorted subarrays

Question 9

Which fundamental principle defines Bubble Sort?

Accepted Answer

Repeatedly swapping adjacent elements if they are out of order

Answer

Dividing the input into sorted and unsorted subarrays

Answer

Finding the smallest element and inserting it into its correct position

Answer

Comparing each element to all other elements and swapping when necessary

Question 10

What is the time complexity of Selection Sort for an array of size n?

Accepted Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(n log n)

Answer

O(log n)

Question 11

What is the key difference between Selection Sort and Insertion Sort?

Accepted Answer

Selection Sort finds the minimum/maximum element while Insertion Sort inserts elements into a sorted subarray

Answer

Insertion Sort is more efficient than Selection Sort

Answer

Selection Sort is used for smaller arrays while Insertion Sort is better for larger arrays

Answer

Selection Sort is recursive while Insertion Sort is iterative

Question 12

For an almost sorted array, what is the time complexity of Insertion Sort?

Accepted Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(n log n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(log n)

Question 13

What is a notable disadvantage of Bubble Sort?

Accepted Answer

It is inefficient for large input sizes

Answer

It lacks stability

Answer

It is not an in-place algorithm

Answer

It requires excessive auxiliary memory

Question 14

Which sorting algorithm is not included in this unit?

Accepted Answer

Quick Sort

Answer

Bubble Sort

Answer

Selection Sort

Answer

Insertion Sort

Question 15

In Selection Sort, the minimum element is selected from the unsorted portion of the array in each iteration by comparing it with:

Accepted Answer

All elements in the unsorted portion

Answer

The previous element

Answer

The next element

Answer

Only the first element in the unsorted portion

Question 16

In Bubble Sort, the inner loop compares adjacent elements and swaps them if they are out of order. This process is repeated until:

Accepted Answer

No swaps are made in a pass

Answer

The array is fully sorted

Answer

The inner loop has completed

Answer

The outermost loop has completed

Question 17

Which characteristic defines Bubble Sort?

Accepted Answer

Iteratively swaps adjacent elements if they are out of order

Answer

Selects the minimum element from the unsorted portion and places it at the beginning

Answer

Inserts each element into its correct position in the sorted portion

Answer

Sorts the array in descending order

Question 18

Which statement accurately describes Insertion Sort?

Accepted Answer

It is more efficient than Bubble Sort for almost-sorted arrays

Answer

It sorts the array in descending order

Answer

It is an unstable sorting algorithm

Answer

It requires additional memory beyond the input array

Question 19

What is the time complexity of Bubble Sort?

Accepted Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n log n)

Question 20

Which advantage does Insertion Sort have over Selection Sort?

Accepted Answer

Faster performance for nearly sorted arrays

Answer

Improved stability

Answer

Lower memory requirements

Answer

More efficiency for large arrays

Question 21

Explain the difference between stable and unstable sorting algorithms.

Accepted Answer

Stable algorithms maintain the relative order of equal elements, while unstable algorithms do not

Answer

Stable algorithms require less memory than unstable algorithms

Answer

Unstable algorithms are always faster than stable algorithms

Answer

Stable algorithms are only used for sorting numeric arrays

Question 22

What is a major drawback of Selection Sort?

Accepted Answer

Poor performance for large arrays

Answer

Additional memory requirement

Answer

Unstable behavior

Answer

Complex implementation

Question 23

In which situation would Insertion Sort be an appropriate choice?

Accepted Answer

Sorting a nearly sorted array

Answer

Sorting a large array

Answer

Sorting an array with unique elements

Answer

Sorting an array in descending order

Question 24

What is the time complexity of the insertion sort algorithm?

Accepted Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(n log n)

Answer

O(1)

Answer

O(n)

Question 25

Determine the time complexity of the Bubble Sort algorithm.

Accepted Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(log n)

Question 26

What is the worst-case time complexity of the bubble sort algorithm?

Accepted Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(1)

Question 27

What is the time complexity of the Selection Sort algorithm?

Accepted Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n log n)

Question 28

Which of the following arrays will be sorted in ascending order after applying the Insertion Sort algorithm?

Accepted Answer

[1, 2, 3, 5]

Answer

[3, 1, 2, 5]

Answer

[1, 3, 2, 5]

Answer

[5, 3, 2, 1]

Question 29

What is the main distinction between Selection Sort and Bubble Sort?

Accepted Answer

Selection Sort selects the smallest element while Bubble Sort selects the largest.

Answer

Selection Sort sorts in-place while Bubble Sort creates a new sorted array.

Answer

Bubble Sort is more efficient than Selection Sort.

Answer

Selection Sort is more stable than Bubble Sort.

Question 30

Which of the following is not a metric used to measure the efficiency of a sorting algorithm?

Accepted Answer

Sorting speed

Answer

Time complexity

Answer

Auxiliary space

Answer

Number of operations

Question 31

What is a significant disadvantage of using the Insertion Sort algorithm?

Accepted Answer

Inefficient for large datasets

Answer

Unstable sorting

Answer

Requires additional memory

Answer

Difficult to implement

Question 32

Which sorting algorithm is most appropriate for datasets that are nearly sorted?

Accepted Answer

Insertion Sort

Answer

Bubble Sort

Answer

Selection Sort

Answer

Merge Sort

Question 33

Which sorting algorithm repeatedly compares adjacent elements in a list and swaps them if they are in the wrong order, moving the largest element to the end of the list with each pass?

Accepted Answer

Bubble Sort

Answer

Merge Sort

Answer

Insertion Sort

Answer

Quick Sort

Question 34

What is the time complexity of Selection Sort in the average and worst-case scenarios?

Accepted Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(1)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(n log n)

Question 35

Which sorting algorithm builds a sorted array one element at a time by inserting each unsorted element into its correct position within the already sorted portion of the array?

Accepted Answer

Insertion Sort

Answer

Radix Sort

Answer

Heap Sort

Answer

Counting Sort

Question 36

Which of the following sorting algorithms is generally considered most efficient for sorting small lists, as it has a lower overhead compared to other algorithms?

Accepted Answer

Insertion Sort

Answer

Merge Sort

Answer

Quick Sort

Question 37

What is the time complexity of Insertion Sort in the worst-case scenario, where the input list is in reverse sorted order?

Accepted Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(n log n)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(1)

Question 38

Which sorting algorithm involves repeatedly stepping through the list, comparing adjacent elements, and swapping them if they are in the wrong order until the largest element 'bubbles' to the end?

Accepted Answer

Bubble Sort

Answer

Selection Sort

Answer

Insertion Sort

Answer

Merge Sort

Question 39

What is the time complexity of Bubble Sort in the worst-case scenario, where the list is in reverse sorted order?

Accepted Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n log n)

Answer

O(n)

Question 40

Which sorting algorithm repeatedly finds the minimum element from the unsorted portion of the list and swaps it with the element at the beginning of the unsorted portion, effectively building the sorted portion from the beginning?

Accepted Answer

Selection Sort

Answer

Insertion Sort

Answer

Quick Sort

Answer

Bubble Sort

Question 41

Is it true that Selection Sort always performs the same number of comparisons, regardless of the initial order of the elements in the list?

Accepted Answer

True

Answer

Depends on the data type

Answer

Only sometimes

Answer

False

Question 42

Which sorting algorithm builds the sorted array one element at a time by shifting elements to the right to create space for the next unsorted element, which is then placed in its correct position within the sorted portion?

Accepted Answer

Insertion Sort

Answer

Selection Sort

Answer

Bubble Sort

Answer

Heap Sort

Question 43

What is the best-case time complexity of Insertion Sort?

Accepted Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(n log n)

Answer

O(log n)

Question 44

Which sorting algorithm is generally considered most efficient for small lists or partially sorted data?

Accepted Answer

Insertion Sort

Answer

Bubble Sort

Answer

Merge Sort

Answer

Selection Sort

Question 45

In Bubble Sort, after each pass, the largest unsorted element is placed at its correct position. This statement is:

Accepted Answer

True

Answer

Only sometimes

Answer

Depends on the implementation

Answer

False

Question 46

What is the primary advantage of Selection Sort over Bubble Sort?

Accepted Answer

Fewer swaps

Answer

Less memory usage

Answer

Faster execution speed

Answer

Easier implementation

Question 47

Which sorting algorithm is NOT considered a stable sort?

Accepted Answer

Selection Sort

Answer

Insertion Sort

Answer

Bubble Sort

Answer

Merge Sort

Question 48

What is the time complexity of Selection Sort?

Accepted Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(n log n)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(log n)

Question 49

Which of the following correctly describes the Insertion Sort algorithm?

Accepted Answer

Builds the sorted portion of the array incrementally by inserting each element into its correct position.

Answer

Compares every pair of elements in the array.

Question 50

What is the best-case time complexity of Bubble Sort?

Accepted Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n log n)

Question 51

Which sorting algorithm is considered the most efficient for nearly sorted arrays?

Accepted Answer

Insertion Sort

Answer

Bubble Sort

Answer

Selection Sort

Answer

Merge Sort

Question 52

What is the purpose of the flag variable in the Bubble Sort algorithm?

Accepted Answer

To indicate if any swaps were made during the current pass, optimizing the sorting process.

Answer

To keep track of the number of comparisons

Answer

To mark the index of the largest element

Question 53

Which of the following statements correctly describes the approach of Selection Sort?

Accepted Answer

Finds the minimum element from the unsorted portion and swaps it with the leftmost unsorted element.

Answer

Inserts each element into its correct sorted position

Answer

Compares every element with every other element

Question 54

Consider an array [3, 1, 2] sorted in ascending order using Bubble Sort. What is the final position of element 2?

Accepted Answer

Second

Answer

First

Answer

Cannot be determined

Answer

Third

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT a disadvantage of Insertion Sort?

Accepted Answer

Suitable for large datasets

Answer

Requires multiple passes through the array

Answer

Inefficient for already sorted arrays

Answer

Performs poorly on nearly sorted arrays

Question 56

Consider an array [5, 2, 4, 6, 1, 3]. What is the result of performing one pass of Selection Sort on this array?

Accepted Answer

[1, 2, 4, 6, 5, 3]

Answer

[1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 3]

Answer

[5, 2, 4, 6, 1, 3]

Answer

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]