3 ms·
> how fast a sorting algorithm is What are you referring to here? Like remembering off the top of your head the big O of bubblesort? Or figuring out the big O
by pitaj 10y ago
> how fast a sorting algorithm is
What are you referring to here? Like remembering off the top of your head the big O of bubblesort? Or figuring out the big O of an algorithm you wrote yourself?
The first is something easily looked up. No reason to dedicate some of your limited human memory to that.
- ice109 10y agoyou shouldn't memorize big O for common algos. you should understand the algo and be able to rederive the complexity. maybe not for Ford-fulkerson but definitely for bubble sort.
- WhitneyLand 10y ago>The first is something easily looked up. No reason to dedicate some of your limited human memory to that. That's irrelevant because it's true of everything. I can also look up and learn quantum mechanics at khan academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/quantum-physics https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/quantum-physics Sure it's feasible to look up facts here and there, but it's harder to grasp the underlying meaning and generalize it when rushing to check in code for a job, compared to having dedicated and structured time set aside. Anecdotally, I started coding intensely in middle school and thought I was pretty bad ass by the I time entered college. Was blown away at how little I knew about what I didn't know. Gave up hubris at that point.