Algorithms - MCQ Question Bank

Section 1: Algorithm Fundamentals (10 MCQs)

Q1
Which of the following best defines an algorithm?
a) A programming language
b) A step-by-step procedure to solve a problem
c) A computer hardware unit
d) A compiler

Answer: b

Q2
Which property ensures that an algorithm terminates?
a) Definiteness
b) Finiteness
c) Correctness
d) Efficiency

Answer: b

Q3
Definiteness means:
a) Steps are ambiguous
b) Steps are clearly defined
c) Output is random
d) Input is mandatory

Answer: b

Q4
Correctness means:
a) Fast execution
b) Minimal memory usage
c) Produces correct output
d) Uses recursion

Answer: c

Q5
Which is NOT a property of an algorithm?
a) Input
b) Output
c) Ambiguity
d) Finiteness

Answer: c

Q6
An algorithm may have:
a) No input
b) Infinite steps
c) No output
d) Random steps

Answer: a

Q7
Efficiency refers to:
a) CPU speed only
b) Time and space usage
c) Memory only
d) Output correctness

Answer: b

Q8
Which is mandatory for every algorithm?
a) Recursion
b) Input and output
c) Sorting
d) Looping

Answer: b

Q9
Which statement is true?
a) All algorithms must use loops
b) Algorithms must terminate
c) Algorithms must be recursive
d) Algorithms must be written in code

Answer: b

Q10
Which is NOT required for an algorithm?
a) Definiteness
b) Finiteness
c) Ambiguity
d) Correctness

Answer: c

Section 2: Complexity Theory (10 MCQs)

Q11
Time complexity measures:
a) Memory usage
b) Execution time growth
c) CPU type
d) Output size

Answer: b
Q12
Space complexity measures:
a) Execution time
b) Memory usage
c) CPU speed
d) Disk size

Answer: b

Q13
O(1) means:
a) Linear time
b) Constant time
c) Logarithmic time
d) Quadratic time

Answer: b

Q14
O(log n) typically occurs in:
a) Linear search
b) Binary search
c) Bubble sort
d) Selection sort

Answer: b

Q15
Which grows fastest?
a) O(n)
b) O(n log n)
c) O(n²)
d) O(2ⁿ)

Answer: d
Q16
Simplify: O(n² + n)
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(log n)
d) O(1)

Answer: b

Q17
Simplify: O(5n + 100)
a) O(1)
b) O(n)
c) O(n²)
d) O(log n)

Answer: b

Q18
O(n) + O(n) equals:
a) O(2n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(n)
d) O(log n)

Answer: c

Q19
O(n) × O(n) equals:
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(log n)
d) O(1)

Answer: b
Q20
Which is correct ordering?
a) O(2ⁿ) < O(n²) < O(n)
b) O(n) < O(n²) < O(2ⁿ)
c) O(n²) < O(n) < O(2ⁿ)
d) O(log n) > O(n)

Answer: b

Section 3: Linear Search (8 MCQs)

Q21
Linear search works on:
a) Sorted data only
b) Unsorted data
c) Trees only
d) Graphs only

Answer: b

Q22
Worst-case time complexity of Linear search:
a) O(1)
b) O(n)
c) O(log n)
d) O(n²)

Answer: b

Q23
Best-case of Linear search occurs when:
a) Element is last
b) Element is first
c) Element not found
d) Array is large
Answer: b

Q24
Average-case complexity of Linear search:
a) O(1)
b) O(n)
c) O(log n)
d) O(n²)

Answer: b

Q25
Space complexity of Linear search:
a) O(n)
b) O(1)
c) O(log n)
d) O(n²)

Answer: b

Q26
Linear search is efficient when:
a) Data is large sorted
b) Data is small or unsorted
c) Data is binary
d) Data is recursive

Answer: b

Q27
Worst case of Linear search occurs when the required element is:
a) First element
b) Last or not found
c) Middle
d) Sorted array
Answer: b

Q28
Linear search requires:
a) Sorted data
b) Does NOT require sorted data
c) Balanced tree
d) Hashing

Answer: b

Section 4: Binary Search (8 MCQs)

Q29
Binary search requires:
a) Unsorted array
b) Sorted array
c) Graph
d) Tree

Answer: b

Q30
Worst-case complexity of Binary search:
a) O(n)
b) O(log n)
c) O(1)
d) O(n²)

Answer: b

Q31
Best-case of Binary search occurs when:
a) First element
b) Middle element
c) Last element
d) Not found

Answer: b

Q32
Average-case of Binary search:
a) O(n)
b) O(log n)
c) O(1)
d) O(n²)

Answer: b

Q33
Space complexity of Binary search:
a) O(n)
b) O(1)
c) O(log n)
d) O(n²)

Answer: b

Q34
Binary search works by:
a) Increasing array
b) Dividing search space
c) Sorting array
d) Random selection

Answer: b

Q35
Binary search is efficient for:
a) Small unsorted data
b) Large sorted data
c) Graphs
d) Trees

Answer: b

Q36
Worst case of Binary search occurs when:
a) First step match
b) Repeated halving until the end
c) Empty array
d) Sorted array

Answer: b

Section 5: Bubble Sort (10 MCQs)

Q37
Bubble sort compares:
a) Random elements
b) Adjacent elements
c) First only
d) Last only

Answer: b

Q38
Worst-case complexity of Bubble sort:
a) O(n)
b) O(n log n)
c) O(n²)
d) O(1)

Answer: c
Q39
Best-case of Bubble sort occurs when:
a) Reverse sorted
b) Already sorted
c) Random
d) Empty

Answer: b

Q40
Best-case complexity of Bubble sort:
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(log n)
d) O(1)

Answer: a

Q41
Space complexity of Bubble sort:
a) O(n)
b) O(1)
c) O(log n)
d) O(n²)

Answer: b

Q42
Bubble sort is:
a) Stable
b) Not stable
c) Recursive
d) Binary

Answer: a
Q43
Worst-case of Bubble sort occurs when:
a) Sorted
b) Reverse sorted
c) Small data
d) Random

Answer: b

Q44
In Bubble sort, maximum number of passes in worst case:
a) 1
b) n
c) n-1
d) n²

Answer: c

Q45
Bubble sort is efficient for:
a) Large datasets
b) Small datasets
c) Graphs
d) Trees

Answer: b

Q46
In Bubble sort, each pass moves:
a) Smallest to end
b) Largest to end
c) Random element
d) Middle element

Answer: b
 Section 6: Selection Sort (8 MCQs)

Q47
Selection sort works by:
a) Swapping adjacent elements repeatedly
b) Selecting the minimum element each pass
c) Dividing array recursively
d) Using hashing

Answer: b

Q48
Worst-case time complexity of Selection Sort:
a) O(n)
b) O(n log n)
c) O(n²)
d) O(1)

Answer: c

Q49
Best-case time complexity of Selection Sort:
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(log n)
d) O(1)

Answer: b
Explanation:

Selection Sort always has O(N2) complexity because it performs comparisons independently of
the input order

Q50
Average-case time complexity of Selection Sort:
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(log n)
d) O(1)

Answer: b

Q51
Space complexity of Selection Sort:
a) O(n)
b) O(1)
c) O(log n)
d) O(n²)

Answer: b

Q52
Selection Sort is:
a) Stable
b) Not stable
c) Always stable
d) Depends on input

Answer: b

Q53
In Selection Sort, when the array is already sorted:
a) No comparisons are performed
b) No swaps are performed
c) Both comparisons and swaps are reduced
d) Time complexity becomes O(n)

Answer: b

Q54
The main operation in Selection Sort is:
a) Swapping adjacent elements
b) Finding the minimum element
c) Splitting array
d) Searching recursively

Answer: b

Section 7: Insertion Sort (10 MCQs)

Q55
Insertion sort builds:
a) Tree structure
b) Sorted portion gradually
c) Graph
d) Hash table

Answer: b

Q56
Worst-case time complexity of Insertion sort:
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(log n)
d) O(1)

Answer: b

Q57
Best-case of Insertion sort occurs when:
a) Reverse sorted
b) Already sorted
c) Random
d) Empty

Answer: b
Q58
Best-case complexity of Insertion sort:
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(log n)
d) O(1)

Answer: a

Q59
Average-case complexity of Insertion sort:
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(log n)
d) O(1)

Answer: b

Q60
Space complexity of Insertion sort:
a) O(n)
b) O(1)
c) O(log n)
d) O(n²)

Answer: b

Q61
Insertion sort is efficient for:
a) Large random data
b) Nearly sorted data
c) Graph data
d) Binary trees

Answer: b
Q62
Insertion sort is:
a) Stable
b) Not stable
c) Unstable
d) Recursive

Answer: a

Q63
Worst-case of Insertion sort occurs when:
a) Sorted
b) Reverse sorted
c) Middle sorted
d) Small data

Answer: b

Q64
In insertion sort, each step inserts element into:
a) Random position
b) Sorted subarray
c) Tree
d) Graph

Answer: b

Section 8: Code Complexity (10 MCQs)

Q65

for(i=0;i<n;i++)

for(j=0;j<n;j++)

print(j)
Time complexity is:
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(n³)
d) O(log n)

Answer: b

Q66

for(i=1;i<n;i=i*2)

print(i)

Time complexity:
a) O(n)
b) O(log n)
c) O(n²)
d) O(1)

Answer: b

Q67

for(i=0;i<n;i++)

for(j=n;j>1;j=j/2)

print(j)

Time complexity:
a) O(n)
b) O(n log n)
c) O(n²)
d) O(log n)

Answer: b
Q68

for(i=0;i<n;i++)

for(j=0;j<i;j++)

print(j)

Time complexity:
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(log n)
d) O(1)

Answer: b

Q69
Triple nested loop complexity:
a) O(n²)
b) O(n³)
c) O(n log n)
d) O(n)

Answer: b

Q70
A loop that halves/divides the input each step is:
a) O(n)
b) O(log n)
c) O(n²)
d) O(1)

Answer: b

Q71
Adding two loops O(n) + O(n) equals:
a) O(n²)
b) O(2n)
c) O(n)
d) O(log n)

Answer: c

Q72
A nested loop typically results in:
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(log n)
d) O(1)

Answer: b

Q73
In two-nested loops, if the outer loop runs n and the inner runs constant k:
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(log n)
d) O(1)

Answer: a

Q74
Best description of two nested loops, each one has O (n):
a) O(n)
b) O(n²)
c) O(log n)
d) O(1)

Answer: b

Section 9: Mixed & Trick Questions (10 MCQs)

Answer: c

Q76
Which algorithm always performs same comparisons regardless of input?
a) Bubble Sort
b) Selection Sort
c) Insertion Sort
d) Linear Search

Answer: b

Q77
Worst-case Linear Search occurs when:
a) First element
b) Last or absent element
c) Middle element
d) Sorted array

Answer: b

Q78
Binary search is not applicable for:
a) Sorted array
b) Unsorted array
c) Large dataset
d) Balanced data

Answer: b
Q79
Which is most efficient for large sorted datasets?
a) Linear Search
b) Binary Search
c) Bubble Sort
d) Selection Sort

Answer: b

Q80
Which of the following is a comparison-based sorting algorithm?
a) Bubble Sort
b) Selection Sort
c) Insertion Sort
d) All of the above

Answer: d

Q81
Best case for Linear Search is:
a) O(n)
b) O(1)
c) O(log n)
d) O(n²)

Answer: b

Q82
Worst-case growth rate is most important in:
a) Real systems
b) Best-case analysis
c) Random cases only
d) Input preprocessing

Answer: a
Q83
Which of these is more efficient?
a) O(n²)
b) O(n log n)
c) O(2ⁿ)
d) O(n³)

Answer: b

Q84
Algorithm efficiency depends on:
a) Only hardware
b) Time and space complexity
c) Only programming language
d) Only input size

Answer: b

Section 10: True/False (MCQ Format) (10 MCQs)

Q85
Binary search works on unsorted arrays
a) True
b) False

Answer: b

Q86
Insertion sort is stable
a) True
b) False

Answer: a
Q87
Selection sort is stable
a) True
b) False

Answer: b

Q88
Time complexity measures memory usage
a) True
b) False

Answer: b

Q89
O(n²) is slower than O(n log n) for large inputs
a) True
b) False

Answer: a

Q90
Binary search has O(log n) complexity
a) True
b) False

Answer: a

Q91
Best case of Bubble Sort is O(n)
a) True
b) False

Answer: a
Q92
Worst-case of Selection Sort depends on the input order
a) True
b) False

Answer: b

Q93
Bubble sort is better than selection sort
a) True
b) False

Answer: b

Q94
Bubble Sort is generally more efficient than Selection Sort for large datasets
a) True
b) False

Answer: b