DSA Quiz: Searching Smart

A priority queue is a type of queue where each element is associated with a priority, and elements with higher priorities are dequeued before elements with lower priorities.
Why a Heap?
A binary heap (either a min-heap or a max-heap) is the most commonly used data structure for implementing a priority queue because of the following reasons:
Efficient Insertion and Deletion:
In a binary heap, the insertion and deletion of the maximum or minimum element (depending on whether it’s a max-heap or min-heap) can be performed in O(log n) time. This ensures efficient processing for priority queues where elements need to be added and removed dynamically.
Efficient Access to the Top Priority Element:
In a binary heap, the highest or lowest priority element is always at the root (the top of the heap). Therefore, accessing the element with the highest priority takes O(1) time, which is optimal for a priority queue.
Space Efficiency:
A binary heap can be implemented using an array, which means it requires O(n) space, making it space-efficient.