Complexitor: An Educational Tool for Learning Algorithm Time Complexity in Practical Manner

Abstract

Based on the informal survey, learning algorithm time complexity in a theoretical manner can be rather difficult to understand. Therefore, this research proposed Complexitor, an educational tool for learning algorithm time complexity in a practical manner. Students could learn how to determine algorithm time complexity through the actual execution of algorithm implementation. They were only required to provide algorithm implementation (i.e. source code written on a particularprogramming language) and test cases to learn time complexity. After input was given, Complexitor generated execution sequence based on test cases and determine its time complexity through Pearson correlation. An algorithm time complexity with the highest correlation value toward execution sequence was assigned as its result. Based on the evaluation, it can be concluded this mechanism is quite effective for determining time complexity as long as the distribution of given input set is balanced.