Abstract Data Structures Topic 5

Define the term dynamic data structure

Dynamic data structures are adaptable and resizable data structures that can grow or shrink during runtime.

Compare the use of static and dynamic data structures.

Dynamic data structures require more complex memory management and can be less efficient in certain situations. Static data structures have a fixed size defined at the time of creation and cannot be resized during runtime.

Suggest a suitable structure for a given situation.

Dynamic data structures are suitable for situations where the number of elements changes during runtime, requiring the structure to adapt accordingly. An example is a program reading data from a CSV file with a varying number of records, where structures like linked lists, stacks, or queues can efficiently manage memory.Static data structures are ideal for situations with a fixed, known number of elements that don't require modification during runtime. An example is a program calculating the average of a predetermined number of test scores, where using an array simplifies memory management and provides better performance due to contiguous memory locations.

Describe the characteristics and applications of a queue.

A FIFO queue operates on the basis of first in, first out. This means that the first item that is added to the queue is the first item to be removed. The three common methods used with queues in computer science are enqueue, dequeue, and isEmpty. Enqueue adds an item to the end of the queue, dequeue removes an item from the front of the queue, and isEmpty checks whether the queue is empty or not.