Data Structures

Internal

• Data Structures and Algorithms

Overview

All data structures used to represent data in the memory of a computer are at essentially sets. Unlike a mathematical set, the sets manipulated by computers are finite, and their composition change in time, so they are called dynamic. We know from mathematics that the elements of a set are distinct. Data structure sets also consist of distinct elements, if we conceptualize the fact that the elements are maintained in distinct memory locations.

A dynamic set that allows insertion of new elements, deletion of existing elements and membership testing for a specific element is called a dictionary.