Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Binary search is an efficient algorithm used to locate a target value within a sorted array by repeatedly dividing the search interval in half.
Related terms
Divide and Conquer: Divide and conquer is a problem-solving technique that involves breaking a problem into smaller subproblems, solving them independently, and then combining their solutions.
Sorted Array: A sorted array is an array where its elements are arranged in ascending or descending order.
Time Complexity: Time complexity refers to the amount of time taken by an algorithm to run as a function of the input size.