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Asymptotic Analysis

GATE CSE 2011 · Q37

MCQ2 marksMedium

Time

Which of the given options provides the increasing order of asymptotic complexity of functions f1,f2,f3f_1, f_2, f_3 and f4f_4 ? f1(n)=2nf_1(n) = 2^n f2(n)=n3/2f_2(n) = n^{3/2} f3(n)=nlog⁡2nf_3(n) = n \log_2 n f4(n)=nlog⁡2nf_4(n) = n^{\log_2 n}

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Solution

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Official answer: A) f3, f2, f4, f1

Asymptotic Analysis

To compare the growth rates of the given functions, take the logarithm log⁡2\log_2 of each function:

  1. log⁡2f1(n)=log⁡2(2n)=n\log_2 f_1(n) = \log_2(2^n) = n

  2. log⁡2f2(n)=log⁡2(n3/2)=1.5log⁡2n\log_2 f_2(n) = \log_2(n^{3/2}) = 1.5 \log_2 n

  3. log⁡2f3(n)=log⁡2(nlog⁡2n)=log⁡2n+log⁡2log⁡2n\log_2 f_3(n) = \log_2(n \log_2 n) = \log_2 n + \log_2 \log_2 n

  4. log⁡2f4(n)=log⁡2(nlog⁡2n)=(log⁡2n)2\log_2 f_4(n) = \log_2(n^{\log_2 n}) = (\log_2 n)^2

Comparing the growth of their logarithms as n→∞n \to \infty:

(log⁡2n+log⁡2log⁡2n)<1.5log⁡2n<(log⁡2n)2<n(\log_2 n + \log_2 \log_2 n) < 1.5 \log_2 n < (\log_2 n)^2 < n

Therefore, the increasing order of asymptotic complexity is:

f3(n)<f2(n)<f4(n)<f1(n)f_3(n) < f_2(n) < f_4(n) < f_1(n)

Hence, the correct option is (A).

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This Asymptotic Analysis previous year question is Q37 of the GATE CSE 2011 paper. Find more GATE CSE PYQs on Asymptotic Analysis in Algorithms, or browse all GATE CSE PYQs.

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Asymptotic Analysis in GATE CSE

Asymptotic Analysis has 31 GATE CSE PYQs across 19 papers from 2011 to 2026. 12 of them are 2-mark MCQs like this one, and it is the only one in GATE CSE 2011.

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GateAI solution cardGATE CSE 2011 · Q37 · MCQ

Which of the given options provides the increasing order of asymptotic complexity of functions f1, f2, f3 and f4 ? f1(n) = 2n f2(n) = n3/2 f3(n) = n log2 n f4(n) = nlog2 n

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