Thread: Quick Algorithm Question

  1. #1
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    Quick Algorithm Question

    What is the difference between a sorting algorithm that is considered to be stable versus one that is unstable?

    I know that stable and unstable refer to the action that is taken when two values compare as equal. I wanted a more watered down version though so I can understand this better.

  2. #2
    The larch
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    Stable sort will leave equal elements in their original relative order.
    I might be wrong.

    Thank you, anon. You sure know how to recognize different types of trees from quite a long way away.
    Quoted more than 1000 times (I hope).

  3. #3
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    The stable sort leaves unchanged the relative order of elements which are equivalent (not necessarily equal) under the sort relation. The standard STL sort algorithms require a strict weak ordering as a sort relation, which allows nonequal elements to be equivalent. For example, the relation R such that x R y iff |x| < |y| is a strict weak ordering, but 5 and -5 are equivalent under it.

  4. #4
    Officially An Architect brewbuck's Avatar
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    Imagine you had some set of records which you are trying to sort based on a specific key element -- say, Age. You already have a set of these records in some specific order, and you want to STABLY sort them based on Age. For instance, say you had this:

    Code:
    Maria, 25
    Dan, 29
    April, 29
    Bob, 19
    Tim, 25
    After a stable sort on Age, these items are in the following order:

    Code:
    Bob, 19
    Maria, 25
    Tim, 25
    Dan, 29
    April, 29
    This is "stable" because Maria still comes before Tim, Dan still comes before April. An unstable sort might have produced:

    Code:
    Bob, 19
    Tim, 25
    Maria, 25
    April, 29
    Dan, 29
    It's still sorted, but Tim now comes before Maria and April comes before Dan. This is "unstable."
    Last edited by brewbuck; 11-01-2007 at 10:41 AM.

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