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Asymptotic Notation |
Asymptotic Notation in
Data Structure
Poonam Dhanvani

February 17, 2013

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Asymptotic Notation
Asymptotic notation is a way of expressing the cost of an

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algorithm. Goal of Asymptotic notation is to simplify Analysis by

getting rid of unneeded information
Following are the asymptotic notation:
BigOh Notation (O) :
>> O(g(n)) = { f(n) : there exist positive constants c and n0 such that 0 <

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f(n) < c*g(n) for all n > n0 }.

>> It is asymptotic upper bound.
>>The function f(n) = O(g(n)) iff there exist positive constants c and n0 such
that f(n) c * g(n) for all n, n n0.

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>> The statement f(n) = O(g(n)) states only that g(n) is an upper bound on
the value of f(n) for all n, n no.
>> Eg :
1. 3n + 2 = O(n)
3n + 2 4n for all n 2.
2. 3n + 3 = O(n)
3n + 3 4n for all n 3.
3. 100n + 6 = O(n)
100n + 6 101n for all n 6.

Omega Notation ()
>> (g (n)) = { f(n) : there exist positive constants c and n0 such that 0
< c * g(n) < f(n) for all n > n0 }
>> Asymptotic lower bound.
>> The function f(n) = (g(n)) iff there exist positive constants c and n0
such that f(n) c * g(n) for all n, n n0.
>> The statement f(n) = (g(n)) states only that g(n) is only a lower bound
on the value of f(n) for all n, n no.

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>> E.g.
1. 3n + 2 = (n)
3n + 2 3n for all n 1.
2. 3n + 3 = (n)
3n + 3 3n for all n 1.
3. 100n + 6 = (n)
100n + 6 100n for all n 0.

Theta Notation ()
>> (g(n)) = { f(n) : there exist positive constants c1 and c2 and n0 such
that 0 < c1 * g(n) < f(n) < c2 * g(n) for all n > n0 }
>> The function f(n) = (g(n)) iff there exist positive constants C1, C2 and
n0 such that C1 * g(n) f(n) C2 * g(n) for all n, n n0.
>> E.g.
1. 3n + 2 = (n)
3n + 2 3n for all n 2.
3n + 2 4n for all n 2.
So, C1 = 3, C2 =4 & n0 =2.
>> The statement f(n) = (g(n)) iff g(n) is both an upper and lower bound
on the value of f(n).
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Little oh Notation (o)

>> o(g(n)) = { f(n) : for any positive constant c>0 , there exists a constant n0
such that 0 < f(n) < c * g(n) for all n > n0 }
>> We use o notation to denote an upper bound that is not asymptotically
tight.
>> The definitions of O-notation and o-notation are similar. The main
difference is that in f(n) =O(g(n)), the bound 0 < f(n) < c*g(n) holds for some
constant c>0 but in f(n) =O(g(n)), the bound 0 < f(n) < c *g(n) holds for all
constants c > 0.

Little omega Notation (w)

>> w(g(n)) = { f(n) : for any positive constant c>0 , there exists a constant n0
such that 0 < c * g (n) < f(n) for all n > n0 }

>> We use w notation to denote an lower bound that is not asymptotically

tight.

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About Poonam Dhanvani

Assistant Professor in Master of Computer Application (MCA)
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