| Feature | Insertion Sort |
|---|---|
| Method | Take the next item (the key) and insert it into its place in the sorted part |
| Sorted part | Starts as the first item and grows by one each step |
| Shifting | Larger items move one place right to make a gap for the key |
| Extra memory | None: it sorts in place |
| Quickest on | Short lists and lists that are nearly sorted |
| Compared with bubble sort | Usually the better of the two, because it makes fewer moves |
This study notes covers Insertion Sort at a Glance within Insertion Sort for GCSE Computer Science. Revise Insertion Sort in 3.1 Fundamentals of Algorithms for GCSE Computer Science with 15 exam-style questions and 10 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 2 of 7 in this topic. Use this study notes to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for Insertion Sort
Which statement best describes how insertion sort works?
Describe how insertion sort works. Your answer should include how the algorithm processes each element.
Quick recall flashcards
What is the time complexity of insertion sort?
O(nĀ²) worst/average case, O(n) best case (already sorted)
How does insertion sort work?
Builds sorted list one element at a time by inserting each element into its correct position