What is an algorithm called that locates files by dividing the number of accessible records in half until one remains?

The algorithm that locates files by dividing the number of accessible records in half until one remains is known as a Binary Search. This method is efficient for searching in a sorted array or list because it consistently eliminates half of the remaining elements from consideration with each comparison.

In a Binary Search, the process begins by comparing the target value to the middle element of the collection. If the target value is equal to the middle element, the search is successful. If the target is less than the middle element, the search continues in the lower half of the dataset. Conversely, if the target is greater, the search resumes in the upper half. This repeated halving continues until the target is found or there are no more elements to check.

This method is much faster than a Linear Search, which looks at each element one after the other until it finds the target. Linear Search's time complexity is O(n), making it less efficient for large datasets. In contrast, Binary Search operates with a time complexity of O(log n), making it significantly more efficient for sorted arrays. Random Access Search and Sequential Search do not fit this description, as they either rely on random access patterns without halving or simply examine records sequentially. Thus, the nature of the Binary Search