Exercise: Search an unordered array.

An array table might, or might not, contain a certain value element.

const int MAX_SIZETABLE = 1000;

int table[MAX_SIZETABLE];

int sizeTable;

bool found;

You may assume that sizeTable has been assigned the number of values stored in the array, and the first sizeTable elements of the array, namely table[0] .. table[sizetable-1] have been assigned values.

Write some code that scans the array and assigns true to the variable found if it finds the element, or assigns false if it does not find the element.

Do NOT code

found = false;

for ( int i = 0; i < sizeTable; i++ )

{

if ( table[i] == element )

found = true;

}

since it is too inefficient. Stop scanning as soon as you find the element (if it exists.)

Answer:

found = false;

for ( int i = 0; i < sizeTable; i++ )

{

if ( table[i] == element )

{

found = true;

break;

}

}

alternate code

found = false;

for ( int i = 0; i < sizeTable && ! found; i++ )

{

if ( table[i] == element )

found = true;

}

alternate code NOT RECOMMENDED

found = false;

for ( int i = 0; i < sizeTable; i++ )

{

if ( table[i] == element )

{

found = true;

i = sizeTable;

}

}

alternate code - depends on short-circuit evaluation of Boolean expressions

found = false;

int i;

for ( i = 0; i < sizeTable && table[i] != element; i++ )

/* do nothing */;

found = ( i < sizeTable );

table[i] != element is not evaluated when i >= sizeTable

Evaluating table[i] when i >= sizeTable is an out of array bounds error.