Data Structure Algorithms: Linear Search

Data Structures are the programmatic way of storing data for efficient use. In this series, you will get great understanding on Data Structures needed to understand the complexity of enterprise level applications and need of algorithms and data structures. Good understanding of DSA helps address the following problems;

1. Enormous data Search
2. Limited processor speed
3. Handling multiple concurrent requests

Content

Linear Search

Linear search is a search algorithm where a sequential search is made over all items one by one. Every item is checked and if a match is found then that particular item is returned, otherwise the search continues till the end of the data collection.

Algorithm

Linear Search (Array A, Value x)  

Step 1: Set i to 1  
Step 2: if i > n then go to step 7  
Step 3: if A[i] = x then go to step 6  
Step 4: Set i to i + 1  
Step 5: Go to Step 2  
Step 6: Print Element x Found at index i and go to step 8  
Step 7: Print element not found  
Step 8: Exit  

Pseudocode

function linear_search (list, value)  

   for each item in the list  
      if match item == value  
         return the item's location  
      end if  
   end for  

end function 

Source Code

An example can be found here.