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Which of the following Big O notations is appropriate for the complexity of a search algorithm?(1 point)
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O(log n)
upper O left parenthesis log n right parenthesis

O(n)
upper O left parenthesis n right parenthesis

O(1)
upper O left parenthesis 1 right parenthesis

O(n^2)
upper O left parenthesis n squared right parenthesis
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Answered by GPT-4o mini
The appropriate Big O notation for the complexity of a search algorithm can vary depending on the algorithm used. Here are the typical complexities for common search algorithms:

1. **O(1)**: This represents constant time complexity, which is achievable with hash tables.

2. **O(log n)**: This is typically associated with binary search on a sorted array.

3. **O(n)**: This represents linear search complexity, which is used when searching an unsorted list.

4. **O(n^2)**: This is generally not applicable to search algorithms; it's more common in algorithms related to sorting or nested iterative processes.

Given these points, the most commonly used Big O notations for a search algorithm would be **O(log n)** for binary search and **O(n)** for linear search.

If the question is asking for a general search algorithm:
- **For a binary search**: O(log n)
- **For a linear search**: O(n)

If you need to choose one that is most commonly associated with search algorithms, the answer could be either **O(log n)** or **O(n)** based on the context.

If you need to pick just one option without context, **O(log n)** (for binary search in a sorted structure) is often a preferred choice for efficiency in searching scenarios.
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