The maximum number of comparisons for a retrieval operation in a binary search tree is the ______.
A)length of the tree
B)height of the tree
C)number of nodes in the tree
D)number of leaves in the tree

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The maximum number of comparisons for a retrieval operation in a binary search tree is the height of the tree. This is because in a binary search tree, every time we move down a level in the tree during a retrieval operation, we compare the node we are searching for with the node at the current level. So the maximum number of comparisons will occur when the node we are searching for is at the lowest level of the tree, which is the height of the tree. Therefore, the height of the tree is the best choice for this question.

The Maximum Number of Comparisons for a Retrieval Operation in a Binary