BALANCED TREE Meaning and
Definition
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A balanced tree is a data structure used in computer science that maintains a balanced hierarchy among its elements. It is a type of binary tree in which the difference in height between the left and right subtrees of any node is at most one.
In a balanced tree, the height of the tree is minimized, resulting in efficient and faster operations. This is achieved by performing rotations or reorganizing the tree structure when necessary to ensure its balance. By maintaining balance, the tree ensures that the search, insertion, and deletion operations have a logarithmic time complexity, usually O(log n), where n is the number of elements in the tree.
Various types of balanced trees exist with specific balancing techniques. These include red-black trees, AVL trees, and B-trees. Red-black trees use color coding and rotations to ensure balance. AVL trees, named after their inventors, Adelson-Velsky and Landis, are more strict than red-black trees and use rotations to maintain balance. B-trees are used for efficient disk storage and support multiway branching.
Balanced trees are commonly used in database systems, file systems, and compilers, as they provide efficient searching, insertion, and deletion operations, even with large amounts of data. Their balanced nature ensures that the operations are evenly distributed, preventing degeneration to a linear data structure and maintaining optimal performance.
Common Misspellings for BALANCED TREE
- valanced tree
- nalanced tree
- halanced tree
- galanced tree
- bzlanced tree
- bslanced tree
- bwlanced tree
- bqlanced tree
- bakanced tree
- bapanced tree
- baoanced tree
- balznced tree
- balsnced tree
- balwnced tree
- balqnced tree
- balabced tree
- balamced tree
- balajced tree
- balahced tree
- balanxed tree
Etymology of BALANCED TREE
The word "balanced tree" has a straightforward etymology based on its individual components.
The term "tree" in computer science refers to a data structure composed of nodes connected by edges. It is called a tree due to its resemblance to an actual tree with branches and leaves.
The term "balanced" implies that the tree is structured in a way that maintains a balance between its branches' heights. In a balanced tree, the heights of the left and right subtrees of any node differ by at most one. This balance allows for efficient operations and prevents the tree from becoming heavily skewed to one side, which could result in reduced performance.
The word "balanced" originates from the verb "balance", derived from Late Middle English and Old French, ultimately from the Latin word "bilanx", which means "having two scale pans". The idea of equilibrium and equal distribution between two sides is metaphorically applied to the balanced tree.
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