For the scenario described where a programming team needs to perform a large amount of data manipulation quickly using a linear data structure, the most appropriate choice would be an array list.
Here's why:
- Array List: This data structure provides fast access to elements due to its contiguous memory allocation, making it efficient for reading and manipulating data. It's also dynamically resizable, which is a plus for handling large data sets. This makes it suitable for scenarios where the size of the data can change.
The other options have their uses, but for quick and efficient data manipulation in a linear structure, an array list is typically the best choice.
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Linked List: While it allows for efficient insertions and deletions, accessing elements requires traversing the list, which is less efficient than an array list.
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Maps and Graphs: These are not linear data structures. Maps are key-value pairs, and graphs are used for representing relationships between pairs of entities.
Therefore, the correct choice is array list.