• understand and apply complex data structures and algorithms.
• be able to analyze the time complexity of algorithms, both sequential and recursive.
• be able to apply standard library data structures in software design.

You are to explore the impact of selecting various data structures on the exectution time of the spell checking program implemented for the first laboratory assignment. You should compare the following classes that all implement the Set interface:

• Lookup (from Lab 1, use both partners' implementations)
• TreeSet
• HashSet
• LinkedHashSet

In particular, you should analyze the impact of data structure choice on both the add and contains methods. Your analysis should include plots that describe the actual run time as a function of input size (where input size is the size of the dictionary file).

• The challenge presented in this assignment is not the coding (which should be trivial), but the experimental design. Focus your efforts on how to best produce meaningful data.
• Your efforts should be focused on obtaining "worst-case" results.
• You may find the System.currentTimeMillis() method to be especially useful for measuring execution time.
• In as much as it is possible, your program should measure the the time elapsed while executing the methods being analyzed and not any additional work.
• Your program should produce a comma delimited file that can be imported into Excel. The numbers in this file (or files) should be used to make the plots described above.

Here is a template file to use as a starting point for this report.

Your report should include:

• Results: You should include at least one plot for each method being analyzed. The plot should be in the form of a .png or .jpg image.
• A discussion of:
  • How you designed your tests;
  • Your results... any surprises?
  • Conclusions based on your results (including which implementation is most appropriate for use in a typical spell checker application).
• The Documented source code for your program.
• Be sure to log the time you spend on this project in the FAST system.

As with any report you submit, correct spelling and grammar are required. In addition, your report should be submitted electronically following the Electronic submission guidelines. (You may wish to consult the XML help video and/or sample report before submitting your report.) Be sure to keep copies of all your files, in case something gets lost.

If you have any questions, consult your instructor.

This assignment was originally developed by Dr. Chris Taylor.

© 2001-2006 Dr. Christopher C. Taylor

Office: CC-36C

Phone: 277-7339