Chapter 6
Optimizing for Optimistic Scenarios

When evaluating the efficiency of an algorithm, we’ve focused primarily on how many steps the algorithm would take in a worst-case scenario. The rationale behind this is simple: if you’re prepared for the worst, things will turn out okay.

However, we’ll discover in this chapter that the worst-case scenario isn’t the only situation worth considering. Being able to consider all scenarios is an important skill that can help you choose the appropriate algorithm for every situation.