Chapter

Combinatorics and Computer Science

Volume 1120 of the series Lecture Notes in Computer Science pp 234-243

Date:

Optimum alphabetic binary trees

  • T. C. HuAffiliated withDepartment of Computer Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, University of California
  • , J. D. MorgenthalerAffiliated withDepartment of Computer Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, University of California

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Abstract

We describe a modification of the Hu-Tucker algorithm for constructing an optimal alphabetic tree that runs in O(n) time for several classes of inputs. These classes can be described in simple terms and can be detected in linear time. We also give simple conditions and a linear algorithm for determining, in some cases, if two adjacent nodes will be combined in the optimal alphabetic tree.