Algorithms & EmergenceAlgorithms

Twice the Data, Four Times the Wait

How fast a method slows down is what matters

Invite twice as many guests: one party job takes twice as long, another four times, a third outlasts the universe. Which is which?

You'll find out

  • Which job a bigger party barely slows
  • What programmers mean by Big O
  • How one list cost a player six minutes

Why it matters

It is the question behind fast apps and slow ones: what happens to the work when the data doubles?

About 3 min6 interactive slides · 5 questionsLesson 153 · Zone 17

Play this lesson

Free to play in your browser or on iPhone

More in this zone

  1. 145Exponential GrowthRice on a ChessboardDouble a grain on every square and you'd bankrupt a kingdom
  2. 146Quantum MechanicsSchrödinger's Cat Was a JokeThe famous cat was meant to show how absurd the idea sounded
  3. 147Exponential GrowthThe Lily Pad RiddleIf lilies double daily and cover the pond on day 30, when was it half full?
  4. 148Electrical EngineeringThe Cooktop That Stays ColdInduction heats the pan directly with a changing magnetic field
  5. 149Search EnginesHow Google Ranked the WebA page matters when pages that matter point to it
  6. 150Text EncodingA Is 65Every letter you type is secretly a number
  7. 151Congestion ControlThe Internet's Traffic JamNetworks slow themselves down on purpose to avoid collapse
  8. 152Game DesignWhy Mario Has a MoustacheIn a 16×16 sprite, a moustache was easier to draw than a mouth