Runtime Analysis
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.
Analogy
Imagine you have two friends who are competing to solve a puzzle. You want to know which friend is faster at solving puzzles, so you time how long it takes each of them to complete the same puzzle. Runtime analysis is like timing their performances - it helps us understand how efficient an algorithm is in terms of execution time.
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.
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