Rotated Sorted array Method 2

Method 2 (Efficient Using Binary Search)
Here also we find the index of minimum element, but using Binary Search. The idea is based on the below facts :

  • The minimum element is the only element whose previous is greater than it. If there is no previous element, then there is no rotation (first element is minimum). We check this condition for middle element by comparing it with (mid-1)’th and (mid+1)’th elements.
  • If the minimum element is not at the middle (neither mid nor mid + 1), then minimum element lies in either left half or right half.
    1. If middle element is smaller than last element, then the minimum element lies in left half
    2. Else minimum element lies in right half.

Below is the implementation:

  • C++

// Binary Search based C++ program to find number

// of rotations in a sorted and rotated array.

#include<bits/stdc++.h>

using namespace std;

// Returns count of rotations for an array which

// is first sorted in ascending order, then rotated

int countRotations( int arr[], int low, int high)

{

`` // This condition is needed to handle the case

`` // when the array is not rotated at all

`` if (high < low)

`` return 0;

`` // If there is only one element left

`` if (high == low)

`` return low;

`` // Find mid

`` int mid = low + (high - low)/2; /*(low + high)/2;*/

`` // Check if element (mid+1) is minimum element.

`` // Consider the cases like {3, 4, 5, 1, 2}

`` if (mid < high && arr[mid+1] < arr[mid])

`` return (mid+1);

`` // Check if mid itself is minimum element

`` if (mid > low && arr[mid] < arr[mid - 1])

`` return mid;

`` // Decide whether we need to go to left half or

`` // right half

`` if (arr[high] > arr[mid])

`` return countRotations(arr, low, mid-1);

`` return countRotations(arr, mid+1, high);

}

// Driver code

int main()

{

`` int arr[] = {15, 18, 2, 3, 6, 12};

`` int n = sizeof (arr)/ sizeof (arr[0]);

`` cout << countRotations(arr, 0, n-1);

`` return 0;

}

Output:

2

Time Complexity : O(Log n)
Auxiliary Space : O(1) if we use iterative Binary Search is used.