AI engineering glossary · Data structures algorithms
What is amortized analysis?
Amortized analysis: A way of measuring the average cost per operation over a worst-case sequence of operations, so an occasional expensive step is spread across many cheap ones. It differs from average-case analysis because it needs no probability assumptions.
Amortized analysis: an example
Appending to a dynamic array is O(1) amortized: an occasional resize copies all n items, but that cost is shared over the n cheap appends before it.
Related terms
More Data structures algorithms terms
Where you learn it
Amortized analysis is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.