Spaghetti sort is a linear-timeanalog algorithm for sorting a sequence of items, introduced by A. Dewdney in his Scientific American column. It requires a parallel processor. For simplicity, assume we are sorting a list of natural numbers.
The sorting method is illustrated using uncooked rods of spaghetti :. Preparing the n rods of spaghetti takes linear time. Lowering the rods on the table takes constant time, O 1. This is possible because the hand, the spaghetti rods and the table work as a fully parallel computing device.
There are then n rods to remove so, assuming each contact-and-removal operation takes constant time, the worst-case time complexity of the algorithm is O n. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools.
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June"On the spaghetti computer and other analog gadgets for problem solving", Scientific Americanvol. Sorting algorithms. Merge sort Cascade merge sort Oscillating merge sort Polyphase merge sort. Bitonic sorter Batcher odd—even mergesort Pairwise sorting network Samplesort.
Topological sorting Pre-topological order Pancake sorting Spaghetti sort. Stooge sort Slowsort Bogosort. Categories : Sorting algorithms Metaphors referring to spaghetti. Hidden categories: Wikipedia articles needing clarification from July All Wikipedia articles needing clarification.