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
Runtime analysis refers to analyzing the efficiency of an algorithm by measuring its execution time and memory usage. It helps determine how well an algorithm scales with input size.
Related terms
Big O Notation: A mathematical notation used to describe the upper bound or worst-case scenario of an algorithm's runtime.
Time Complexity: A measure of the amount of time an algorithm takes to run as a function of the input size.
Space Complexity: A measure of the amount of memory an algorithm requires as a function of the input size.