Glossary
Accessing Consecutive Sequences
An algorithm that iterates through a collection to process elements in groups of a specified length (e.g., pairs, triplets) that are adjacent to each other.
Example:
When analyzing stock prices, you might use accessing consecutive sequences to look for patterns over three consecutive trading days.
ArrayList
A resizable array implementation in Java that belongs to the Java Collections Framework, allowing dynamic addition and removal of elements.
Example:
Instead of a fixed-size array, you might use an ArrayList to store a user's shopping cart items, as the number of items can change.
Checking for Duplicate Elements
An algorithm that determines if any two or more elements within a collection have the same value.
Example:
Before adding a new username to a database, you would use checking for duplicate elements to ensure the username isn't already taken.
Converting Array to ArrayList
An algorithm that transfers all elements from a fixed-size primitive array into a dynamic `ArrayList`.
Example:
When you need to add or remove elements from a fixed dataset, you would use converting Array to ArrayList to gain the flexibility of ArrayList methods.
Converting ArrayList to Array
An algorithm that transfers all elements from an `ArrayList` into a fixed-size primitive array.
Example:
If a legacy method requires a primitive array as input, you would use converting ArrayList to Array to pass your dynamic data.
Determining How Many Elements Fit a Criteria
An algorithm that counts how many elements in a collection satisfy a specific condition or property.
Example:
To find out how many students passed a test, you would use determining how many elements fit a criteria to count scores above a certain threshold.
Determining If All Values Have a Certain Property
An algorithm that checks every element in a collection to see if they all satisfy a specific condition, returning true only if every element meets the criteria.
Example:
To ensure all passwords in a system are strong, you might use determining if all values have a certain property to check if each password meets minimum length and complexity requirements.
Enhanced For Loop
A simplified loop syntax in Java, also known as a for-each loop, used for iterating over elements in arrays and collections without needing an explicit index.
Example:
To print every student's name in a students list, an enhanced for loop (for (Student s : students)) is often cleaner than a traditional indexed loop.
Finding a Mean
An algorithm that computes the average of numerical elements in a collection by dividing their sum by the count of elements.
Example:
After collecting daily temperatures, you could use finding a mean to determine the average temperature for the week.
Finding a Mode
An algorithm that identifies the element(s) that appear most frequently within a collection.
Example:
In a survey of favorite colors, finding a mode would reveal which color was chosen most often by respondents.
Finding a Sum
An algorithm that calculates the total sum of all numerical elements within a collection by accumulating their values.
Example:
To calculate the total cost of items in a shopping cart, you would use finding a sum on an ArrayList of prices.
Finding the Minimum/Maximum
An algorithm used to determine the smallest or largest value within a collection of elements, typically by iterating and comparing.
Example:
In a list of test scores, you'd use finding the minimum/maximum to identify the lowest and highest scores achieved by students.
Modifying Array Values
An algorithm that iterates through an array or ArrayList to change the value of each element based on a specific rule.
Example:
To apply a discount, you might use this algorithm to modify array values by reducing the price of each item in a products ArrayList.
Modifying Instance Variables of Objects in an Array
An algorithm that iterates through an array or ArrayList of objects and changes the state (instance variables) of each object.
Example:
If you have an ArrayList of GameCharacter objects, you could modify instance variables of objects in an array to set all characters' health to full after a level up.
Reversing an Array/ArrayList
An algorithm that rearranges the elements of a collection so that their order is inverted, with the first element becoming last and vice-versa.
Example:
To display a list of recent activities from newest to oldest, you might first populate an ArrayList and then use reversing an array/ArrayList to show them in the desired order.
Shifting Elements Left/Right
An algorithm that rearranges elements in a collection by moving each element one position to the left or right, often wrapping the element at the end/beginning.
Example:
In a game, you might use shifting elements left/right to rotate the order of players in a queue after each turn.