Understand the simplest search method and when it's actually the right choice
Part of Search & Sort Algorithms
Educational content slides
The algorithm:
for item in list:
if item == target:
return found
That's it. No tricks, no requirements.
Best case: Find it immediately (1 check) Worst case: Find it last (N checks) Average: Check half the items (N/2 checks)
Test your understanding with this quiz.
You need to find a specific email in your inbox of 50 recent messages. The emails aren't sorted by sender. What's the best approach?
Complete this exercise and get AI-powered feedback.
Linear search is often the right choice despite being "less efficient." Understanding when simplicity beats complexity is crucial.
Think about: Daily tasks, debugging, organizing, or any situation where the obvious approach might actually be best.