Question

PYTHON QUESTION

Given the following function:

def sort(A, n):

    for i in range (1, n):

        for j in range(i-1, -1,-1):

            if A[j + 1] > A[j]:

                t = A[j+1]

                A[j+1] = A[j

                A[j] = t

What would the output be for the following array: A = [3, 10, 2, 8,15]; where n = 5; for each iteration of i (i.e. when i = 1, i=2, i=3, i=4)?

A. 10, 3, 2, 8, 15

B. 10, 8, 3, 2, 15

C. 15, 10, 8, 3, 2

Match i=1, i=2, i=3 and i=4 to the letters A, B, or C

Answer 1

The code snippet you have provided is reverse sorting the array.

In the ith iteration we are reverse sorting the array till index i by placing the larger element in the starting. Inner loop is used to pick that larger element by comparing it with all previous elements..

So array state after iteration 1 - [10, 3, 2, 8, 15] - A

array state after iteration 2 - [10, 3, 2, 8, 15] - A

array state after iteration 3- [10, 8, 3, 2, 15] - B

array state after iteration 4 - [15, 10, 8, 3, 2] - C

You could try and run the following code to see the output by yourself : -

def sort(A, n):
    for i in range(1, n):

        for j in range(i - 1, -1, -1):

            if A[j + 1] > A[j]:
                t = A[j + 1]

                A[j + 1] = A[j]

                A[j] = t
        print(A)
    return A


if __name__ == '__main__':
    print(sort([3,10,2,8,15],5))

If you have any doubt or want any clarification just put a comment on the answer.