JavaScript Sorting Algorithm: Stooge sort

JavaScript Sorting Algorithm: Exercise-31 with Solution

Stooge Sort

From Wikipedia –
Stooge sort is a recursive sorting algorithm. It is notable for its exceptionally bad time complexity of O(nlog 3 / log 1.5 ) = O(n2.7095...). The running time of the algorithm is thus slower compared to reasonable sorting algorithms, and is slower than bubble sort, a canonical example of a fairly inefficient sort. It is however more efficient than Slowsort. The name comes from The Three Stooges.

The algorithm is defined as follows:

• If the value at the start is larger than the value at the end, swap them.
• If there are 3 or more elements in the list, then:
  Stooge sort the initial 2/3 of the list
  Stooge sort the final 2/3 of the list
  Stooge sort the initial 2/3 of the list again

Write a JavaScript program to sort a list of elements using the Stooge sort algorithm.

Sample Data: Original Array: [3, 1, 8, 9, 5]
Sorted Array: [1, 3, 5, 8, 9]
Original Array: [2, 4, 1, 7, 6, 9, 5]
Sorted Array: [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9]

Sample Solution:

JavaScript Code:

function stooge_Sort (nums, left_End, right_End) 
{
  if (nums[right_End - 1] < nums[left_End]) 
  {
    const temp = nums[left_End]
    nums[leftEnd] = nums[right_End - 1]
    nums[right_End - 1] = temp
  }
  const length = right_End - left_End
  if (length > 2) 
   {
    const third = Math.floor(length / 3)
    stoogeSort(nums, leftEnd, right_End - third)
    stoogeSort(nums, left_End + third, right_End)
    stoogeSort(nums, left_End, right_End - third)
   }
  return nums
}
nums = [3, 1, 8, 9, 5]
console.log("Original Array: "+nums)
result = stooge_Sort(nums)
console.log("Sorted Array: "+result)
nums = [2,4,1,7,6,9,5]
console.log("Original Array: "+nums)
result = stooge_Sort(nums)
console.log("Sorted Array: "+result)

Sample Output:

"Original Array: 3,1,8,9,5"
"Sorted Array: 3,1,8,9,5"
"Original Array: 2,4,1,7,6,9,5"
"Sorted Array: 2,4,1,7,6,9,5"

Flowchart:

Live Demo:

See the Pen searching-and-sorting-algorithm-exercise-31 by w3resource (@w3resource) on CodePen.

For more Practice: Solve these Related Problems:

• Write a JavaScript function that implements stooge sort recursively to sort an array.
• Write a JavaScript function that counts the number of recursive calls made during stooge sort.
• Write a JavaScript function that handles edge cases such as an empty array or an array with one element using stooge sort.
• Write a JavaScript function that compares stooge sort's performance with that of bubble sort on identical small inputs.

Improve this sample solution and post your code through Disqus

Previous: Pigeonhole sort.
Next: Searching and sorting Algorithm Exercises Home Page.