Searching Algorithms
Binary search and its many disguised variants (search-space-on-the-answer, rotated arrays, first/last occurrence).
Why we need this / what value this brings
Binary search is deceptively easy to get wrong (off-by-one boundaries) and shows up in more interview problems than its name suggests — many aren't obviously 'search a sorted array.'
When to use this
Any monotonic search space, not just literal sorted arrays — this is the pattern-recognition skill that matters more than the textbook implementation.
How to use or implement this
Practice the 'search on the answer' reframing: binary search over a range of possible answers, verifying each with a feasibility check.
Research questions
- A Challenge series on recognizing disguised binary-search problems would build the pattern-matching instinct faster than more textbook implementations.
Empty folder — drop notes, links, and findings here as you research.