C Algorithms

Knowledge of algorithms not only provides strong programming fundamentals but is also often used to solve various mathematical problems. In this training, each algorithm is explained in detail, beginning with a few notions regarding algorithms, moving on to an easy step by step example and provides proper explanations where required. These algorithms are fully working code. Example program is provided for each algorithm. An output screenshot is also provided so that you can see what to expect after running the code.

The code in the tutorials follows the footsteps that are explained in the step by step example. Also, if you get stuck at any time, or you are missing something out, do not forget about the DEBUGGER from the VS2010 for example, you can run step by step the code, and see exactly what happens with the variables, the array or anything that code has.

Target Audience

C Algorithms tutorials provides concrete self-learning platform for beginners and will strengthen the fundamentals for intermediate level programmers and IT professionals. You need to have minimum knowledge in a programming language like C or C++.

1. C Algorithms - The Problem of Sorting the Elements

   In this tutorial I will talk a little about the classification stability and complexity of each algorithm more regarding this you can read a little bit lower of this article. Then the advantages or disadvantages of each algorithm are shown which should give you the big picture of each algorithm. In the end there is a conclusion to sum things

2. C Algorithms - Bubble Sort

   Bubble sort is a simple sorting algorithm which compares repeatedly each pair of adjacent items and swaps them if they are in the incorrect order. At the first run the highest element of the list ends on the last place of the sorted list and then at the following run the next highest element ends on one position lower than the previous

3. C Algorithms - Insertion Sort

   Insertion sort is a simple comparison sorting algorithm that considers at a step k the elements of the array A 0 k-1 are already sorted out and the element on the k position will be inserted that way that after the insertion the elements A 0 k are sorted out. Inserting the k element in the A 0 k-1 sequence requires a few steps the

4. C Algorithms - Shell Sort

   Shell sort is a generalization of the Insertion Sort it sorts subsequences that become increasingly higher until it is reached the value n - the total number of elements. Each subsequence i is determined by a number h_i called increment. Also the increments must satisfy the following condition h_t h_t-1 h_t-2 ... h_2

5. C Algorithms - Radix Sort

   Radix sort is a sorting algorithm that sorts the data integers for example by splitting the numbers into individual digits and comparing the individual digits sharing the same significant position. Also a positional notation is required because instead of integers there could be strings of characters or floating point numbers. The radix

6. C Algorithms - Selection Sort

   Selection sort also called naive selection sort is an in-place comparison sort. It may look pretty similar to insertion sort but it performs worse. It is a quite simple sorting algorithm and may perform better than more complicated algorithms in particular cases for example in the ones where the auxiliary memory is limited. How it works First

7. C Algorithms - Heap Sort

   Heapsort is a comparison based algorithm. It bases on building a heap tree from the data set and then it removes the greatest element from the tree and adds it to the end of the sorted list. There are two ways to do this either to add the highest value to the root of the tree or as one of the left right child with the greatest depth. How

8. C Algorithms - Counting Sort

   Counting sort is a sorting algorithm that is not based on comparison like most other methods. This method of sorting is used when all elements to be sorted fall in a known finite and reasonably small range. How it works The algorithm refers to finding for each element a i the number of elements from the array that are lower than it. Step

9. C Algorithms - Merge Sort

   Merge sort is another comparison based sorting algorithm. Also it is a divide and conquer algorithm which means the problem is split into multiple simplest problems and the final solution is represented by putting together all the solutions. How it works The algorithm divides the unsorted list into two sub-lists of about half the size.

10. C Algorithms - Quick Sort

    Quick sort is a comparison sort developed by Tony Hoare. Also like merge sort it is a divide and conquer algorithm and just like merge sort it uses recursion to sort the lists. It uses a pivot chosen by the programmer and passes through the sorting list and on a certain condition it sorts the data set. How it works A pivot is chosen

11. C Algorithms - Bucket Sort

    Bucket sort is a sorting algorithm that works by inserting the elements of the sorting array intro buckets then each bucket is sorted individually. The idea behind bucket sort is that if we know the range of our elements to be sorted we can set up buckets for each possible element and just toss elements into their corresponding buckets.

12. C Algorithms - Comb Sort

    Comb sort is a simple sorting algorithm which improves on bubble sort. The main idea for this type of algorithm is to eliminate the small values near the end of the list as these slow down the sorting process. How it works In comb sort the main usage is of gaps. For example in bubble sort the gap between two elements was 1 whilst here the

13. C Algorithms - Gnome Sort

    Gnome sort is an extremely simple sorting algorithm very similar to insertion sort. Also it is another comparison and exchange sort. You could say that it looks like bubble sort and you would be right. How it works In gnome sort two adjacent elements are compared and if they are in the wrong order they are swapped. The comparison continues

14. C Algorithms - Graph Theory

    The graph theory refers to the study of graphs. A graph is a mathematical object that captures the notion of connection. For example you want to connect two or more dots that could be considered a graph. Leonhard Euler is the inventor of graph theory as he tried to solve the known problem of the Seven Bridges of Konigsberg. The townspeople

15. C Algorithms - Topological Sort

    Let us say that the order relation that was defined the in introduction lesson was a partial one for example a1 a0 a1 a2 a3. The problem is to determine a list of order in which if ai aj then ai will come before aj in the final sorted list . For example our list could be a1 a0 a2 a3 or a1 a2 a0 a3 or a1

16. C Algorithms - Depth-First Search (DFS)

    Depth-first search DFS and breadth-first search BFS are two algorithms for traversing a graph. Graph traversal refers to the problem of visiting all the nodes in a graph in a particular manner. Each node may have to be visited more than once and a root-like node that connects to all other nodes might not exist. Let us start first with DFS. DFS A

17. C Algorithms - Breadth-First Search (BFS)

    Depth-first search DFS and breadth-first search BFS are two algorithms for traversing a graph. A breadth-first search BFS begins at the root node and explores all the neighboring nodes. Then for each of those nearest nodes it explores their unexplored neighbor nodes and so on until it finds the goal. Example In the case of BFS If

18. C Algorithms - Dijkstra's Algorithm

    This algorithm is a graph search algorithm that solves the shortest path problem for a graph. In the graph the path between vertices has a cost or a length so Dijkstra s algorithm simply determines the path with the lowest cost between a vertex and another. The algorithm ends when the shortest path from a vertex to a destination vertex was discovered. How