Comparing Algorithms

Introduction

There are typically several different algorithms used to solve a given computational problem. It is natural, then, to compare these alternatives. But how do you know if algorithm A is better than algorithm B?

Important Criteria: Time and space

One important factor that determines the “effectiveness” of an algorithm is the amount of time that the algorithm will take to solve a given problem. If algorithm A takes less time to solve the same problem than algorithm B, then algorithm A is considered better.

Another important factor in comparing two algorithms is the amount of memory required to solve a given problem. The algorithm that requires less memory is considered better.

Comparing execution time

The remainder of this lesson will focus on the first factor, i.e., execution time. How do you compare the execution time of two algorithms?

Experimental evaluation

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