BASIC TRAVERSAL AND

SEARCH TECHNIQUES
 Outlines

 Introduction
 Binary Tree Traversal Methods
 Preorder
 Inorder
 Postorder
 Graph Search & Traversal Methods
 Breadth First
 Depth First
 Introduction
 In a traversal of a binary tree, each element of the
binary tree is visited exactly once.

 In case of search of a graph (include tree and binary

tree), we may not examine all the vertices

 During the visit of an element, all action (make a

clone, display, evaluate the operator, etc.) with
respect to this element is taken.
 Binary Tree Traversal Methods
 Preorder
 Inorder
 Postorder
Preorder Traversal
Preorder Example (visit = print)

b c

a b c
Preorder Example (visit = print)

b c
f
d e
g h i j

abdghei cf j
Preorder Of Expression Tree

* +

e f
+ -
a b c d

/ * +ab- c d+e f

Gives prefix form of expression!

Inorder Traversal
Inorder Example (visit = print)

b c

b a c
Inorder Example (visit = print)

b c
f
d e
g h i j

gdhbei af j c
Inorder By Projection (Squishing)

b c
f
d e
g h i j

g d h b e i a f j c
Inorder Of Expression Tree
/

* +

e f
+ -
a b c d

a + b * c - d/ e + f

Gives infix form of expression (sans parentheses)!

Postorder Traversal
Postorder Example (visit = print)

b c

bca
Postorder Example (visit = print)

b c
f
d e
g h i j

ghdi ebj f ca
Postorder Of Expression Tree
/

* +

e f
+ -
a b c d

ab+c d- * ef + /

Gives postfix form of expression!

Binary Tree Construction
 Can you construct the binary tree, given two
traversal sequences?
 Depends on which two sequences are given.
Inorder And Preorder
 Inorder = g d h b e i a f j c
 Preorder = a b d g h e i c f j
 Scan the preorder left to right using the inorder to
separate left and right subtrees.
 a is the root of the tree; gdhbei are in the left
subtree; fjc are in the right subtree.

gdhbei fjc
 Inorder And Preorder
a

gdhbei fjc

 preorder = a b d g h e i c f j
 b is the next root; gdh are in a
the left subtree; ei are in the
right subtree.
b fjc
gdh ei
Inorder And Preorder
a

b fjc
gdh ei
 preorder = d g h e i c f j a
 d is the next root; g is in the b fjc
left subtree; h is in the right
subtree. d ei
g h
Inorder And Preorder
a
 preorder = e i c f j b fjc
 e is the next root; i is in
the right subtree. d e
g h i

a
 preorder = c f j
b
 c is the next root; fj is in the c
left subtree. d e
fj
g h i
Inorder And Preorder

 preorder = f j
 f is the next root; j is in the
right subtree.

a
b
c
d e
f
g h i j
Inorder And Postorder

 Scan postorder from right to left using inorder to

separate left and right subtrees.
 inorder = g d h b e i a f j c
 postorder = g h d i e b j f c a
 Tree root is a; gdhbei are in left subtree; fjc are in
right subtree.
Graph Search Methods
 A vertex u is reachable from vertex v iff
there is a path from v to u.
2
3
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11
Graph Search Methods
 Many graph problems solved using a search
method.
 Path from one vertex to another.
 Is the graph connected?
 Find a spanning tree.
 Etc.
 Commonly used search methods:
 Breadth-first search.
 Depth-first search.
Breadth-First Search

 Visit start vertex and

put into a FIFO queue.
 Repeatedly remove a
vertex from the queue,
visit its unvisited
adjacent vertices, put
newly visited vertices
into the queue.
Breadth-First Search Example
2
3
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Start search at vertex 1.

Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3 1
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Visit/mark/label start vertex and put in a FIFO queue.

Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3 1
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 1 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
2 4
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 1 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
2 4
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 2 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
4 5 3 6
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 2 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
4 5 3 6
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 4 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
5 3 6
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 4 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
5 3 6
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 5 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
3 6 9 7
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 5 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
3 6 9 7
8
1

4
5
9
1
0

6
7 11

Remove 3 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
6 9 7
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 3 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
6 9 7
8
1

4
5
9
1
0

6
7 11

Remove 6 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
9 7
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 6 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
9 7
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 9 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
7 8
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 9 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
7 8
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 7 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
8
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 7 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
8
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Remove 8 from Q; visit adjacent unvisited vertices;

put in Q.
Breadth-First Search Example

2 FIFO Queue
3
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

 Queue is empty. Search terminates.

 All vertices reachable from the start vertex (including the
Path From Vertex v To Vertex u
 Start a breadth-first search at vertex v.
 Terminatewhen vertex u is visited or when
Q becomes empty (whichever occurs first).
 Time
O(n2) when adjacency matrix used
O(n+e) when adjacency lists used (e is
number of edges)
Is The Graph Connected?
 Start a breadth-first search at any vertex of the graph.
 Graph is connected iff all n vertices get visited.
 Time
 O(n2) when adjacency matrix used
 O(n+e) when adjacency lists used (e is number of edges)
Connected Components
 Start a breadth-first search at any as yet unvisited vertex
of the graph.
 Newly visited vertices (plus edges between them) define a
component.
 Repeat until all vertices are visited.
Connected Components

2
3
8
1

4
5
9
1
0

6
7 11
Spanning Tree
 Start a breadth-first search at any vertex of
the graph.
 If graph is connected, the n-1 edges used to
get to unvisited vertices define a spanning tree
(breadth-first spanning tree).
 Time
 O(n2) when adjacency matrix used
 O(n+e) when adjacency lists used (e is
number of edges)
Depth-First Search

 Note that vertices adjacent

from v are examined one at
a time.
 As soon as an unreached
adjacent vertex w is found,
a DFS(w) is done.
 Remaining vertices
adjacent from v are
examined after DFS(w)
completes.
Depth-First Search Example
2
3
8
1

4
5
9
1
0

6
7 11
Start search at vertex 1.
Label vertex 1 and do a depth first search from either 2 or 4.

Suppose that vertex 2 is selected.

Depth-First Search Example
2
3
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Label vertex 2 and do a depth first search from either 3, 5, or 6.

Suppose that vertex 5 is selected.

Depth-First Search Example
2
3
8
1

4
5
9
1
0

6
7 11

Label vertex 5 and do a depth first search from either 3, 7, or 9.

Suppose that vertex 9 is selected.

Depth-First Search Example

2
3
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Label vertex 9 and do a depth first search from either 6 or 8.

Suppose that vertex 8 is selected.

Depth-First Search Example
2
3
8
1

4
5
9
1
0

6
7 11

Label vertex 8 and return to vertex 9.

From vertex 9 do a DFS(6).

Depth-First Search Example

2
3
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Label vertex 6 and do a depth first search from either 4 or 7.

Suppose that vertex 4 is selected.

Depth-First Search Example
2
3
8
1

4
5
9
1
0

6
7 11

Label vertex 4 and return to 6.

From vertex 6 do a DFS(7).

Depth-First Search Example
2
3
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Label vertex 7 and return to 6.

Return to 9.
Depth-First Search Example
2
3
8
1

4
5
9
1
0

6
7 11

Return to 5.
Depth-First Search Example
2
3
8
1

4
5
9
1
0

6
7 11

Do a DFS(3).
Depth-First Search Example
2
3
8
1

4
5
9
1
0

6
7 11

Label 3 and return to 5.

Return to 2.
Depth-First Search Example

2
3
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Return to 1.
Depth-First Search Example

2
3
8
1

4
5
9
10

6
7 11

Return to invoking method.

Depth-First Search Properties

 Same complexity as BFS.

 Same properties with respect to path finding,
connected components, and spanning trees.
 Edges used to reach unlabeled vertices define a
depth-first spanning tree when the graph is
connected.
 There are problems for which BFS is better than DFS
and vice versa.
Thanks for your Attention

Q&A