An automated sorting facility maintains an unsorted digital catalog of N N\,N parcels currently on a conveyor belt. A control system uses a standard linear search algorithm to find a specific tracking number in the catalog.
State the number of comparisons made in the best-case scenario, and identify the position of the target tracking number in the catalog that leads to this.
State the number of comparisons made in the worst-case scenario, and describe the possible outcomes regarding the target tracking number that lead to this.
159 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Computer Science Algorithms, covering Constructs for solving problems, Variables, constants and data structures, Arithmetic, relational and logical operators, Tracing algorithm output with trace tables, Types of error and correcting logic errors, Standard algorithms (sorts and searches), and Evaluating algorithm fitness and efficiency. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.