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Priority Queue

Each item has a priority, and the dequeue method removes the item that has the highest priority. Basically, high-priority items are handled first.\ \

When we implemented a priority queue with an array or a linked list, the efficiency of some operations is $\(\text{O}(n)\)$

insertdeleteMinremovefindMin
ordered array O(n) O(1) O(n) O(1)
ordered list O(n) O(1) O(1) O(1)
unordered array O(1) O(n) O(1) O(n)
unordered list O(1) O(n) O(1) O(n)

Using a binary heap, the runtime of both the deleteMin and insert operations is $\(\text{O}(\log n)\)$\

insert deleteMin remove findMin
binary heap O(log n) O(log n) O(log n) O(1)

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