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What does "binary search" mean in programming?
binary search is one of the most common terms in software development. This guide explains what it means, how it is used in practice, and why it matters, with real examples from the developer world.
Definition
An algorithm that finds a target value in a sorted array by repeatedly halving the search range. Each step eliminates half the remaining elements, giving O(log n) time complexity. The array must be sorted for binary search to work.
Example
"Binary search on a sorted array of 1 million items takes at most 20 comparisons."
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