Three Steps of The Divide and

Conquer Approach

The most well known algorithm design strategy:

1. Divide the problem into two or more smaller
subproblems.

2. Conquer the subproblems by solving them

recursively.

3. Combine the solutions to the subproblems

into the solutions for the original problem.
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.2

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 Three Steps of The Divide and
Conquer Approach
Problem of size n

Subproblem 1 Subproblem 2
of size n/2 of size n/2

Solution to Solution to
subproblem 1 subproblem 2

Solution to the
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1 2
n/2 n/2

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 Min And Max Example
Find the min and max of {3,5,6,2,4,9,3,1}.
A = {3,5,6,2} and B = {4,9,3,1}.
min(A) = 2, min(B) = 1.
max(A) = 6, max(B) = 9.
min{min(A),min(B)} = 1.
max{max(A), max(B)} = 9.

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Min and Max

{3,5,6,2,4,9,3,1}

A = {3,5,6,2} and B = {4,9,3,1}.

min(A) = 2, min(B) = 1.
max(A) = 6, max(B) = 9.
min{min(A),min(B)} = 1.
max{max(A), max(B)} = 9.
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 Dividing Into Smaller Instances

{8,2,6,3,9,1,7,5,4,2,8}

{8,2,6,3,9} {1,7,5,4,2,8}

{8,2} {6,3,9} {1,7,5} {4,2,8}

{7,5} {4} {2,8}

{6} {3,9} {1}

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Solve Small Instances And Combine

{1,9}

{2,9} {1,8}

{8,2} {3,9} {1,7} {2,8}

{2,8} {6} {3,9} {1} {7,5} {4} {2,8}

{6,6} {3,9} {1,1} {5,7} {4,4} {2,8}

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