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diff --git a/Doc/library/bisect.rst b/Doc/library/bisect.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b8eb348 --- /dev/null +++ b/Doc/library/bisect.rst @@ -0,0 +1,92 @@ + +:mod:`bisect` --- Array bisection algorithm +=========================================== + +.. module:: bisect + :synopsis: Array bisection algorithms for binary searching. +.. sectionauthor:: Fred L. Drake, Jr. <fdrake@acm.org> + + +.. % LaTeX produced by Fred L. Drake, Jr. <fdrake@acm.org>, with an +.. % example based on the PyModules FAQ entry by Aaron Watters +.. % <arw@pythonpros.com>. + +This module provides support for maintaining a list in sorted order without +having to sort the list after each insertion. For long lists of items with +expensive comparison operations, this can be an improvement over the more common +approach. The module is called :mod:`bisect` because it uses a basic bisection +algorithm to do its work. The source code may be most useful as a working +example of the algorithm (the boundary conditions are already right!). + +The following functions are provided: + + +.. function:: bisect_left(list, item[, lo[, hi]]) + + Locate the proper insertion point for *item* in *list* to maintain sorted order. + The parameters *lo* and *hi* may be used to specify a subset of the list which + should be considered; by default the entire list is used. If *item* is already + present in *list*, the insertion point will be before (to the left of) any + existing entries. The return value is suitable for use as the first parameter + to ``list.insert()``. This assumes that *list* is already sorted. + + .. versionadded:: 2.1 + + +.. function:: bisect_right(list, item[, lo[, hi]]) + + Similar to :func:`bisect_left`, but returns an insertion point which comes after + (to the right of) any existing entries of *item* in *list*. + + .. versionadded:: 2.1 + + +.. function:: bisect(...) + + Alias for :func:`bisect_right`. + + +.. function:: insort_left(list, item[, lo[, hi]]) + + Insert *item* in *list* in sorted order. This is equivalent to + ``list.insert(bisect.bisect_left(list, item, lo, hi), item)``. This assumes + that *list* is already sorted. + + .. versionadded:: 2.1 + + +.. function:: insort_right(list, item[, lo[, hi]]) + + Similar to :func:`insort_left`, but inserting *item* in *list* after any + existing entries of *item*. + + .. versionadded:: 2.1 + + +.. function:: insort(...) + + Alias for :func:`insort_right`. + + +Examples +-------- + +.. _bisect-example: + +The :func:`bisect` function is generally useful for categorizing numeric data. +This example uses :func:`bisect` to look up a letter grade for an exam total +(say) based on a set of ordered numeric breakpoints: 85 and up is an 'A', 75..84 +is a 'B', etc. :: + + >>> grades = "FEDCBA" + >>> breakpoints = [30, 44, 66, 75, 85] + >>> from bisect import bisect + >>> def grade(total): + ... return grades[bisect(breakpoints, total)] + ... + >>> grade(66) + 'C' + >>> map(grade, [33, 99, 77, 44, 12, 88]) + ['E', 'A', 'B', 'D', 'F', 'A'] + + |