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Book Exercise Lanes

This module's exercise system is book-driven. Use the guide and practice pages first, then use these local chunks from Grokking Algorithms when you need more repetition.

How To Use This Page​

  1. Finish the matching concept page first.
  2. Hand-trace one example from memory before opening a chunk.
  3. Use one exercise lane at a time instead of sampling everything.
  4. Keep a mistake log focused on what assumption failed.

Lane 1: Search and Growth​

Use this lane when binary search or Big O still feels verbal rather than concrete.

Target outcomes:

  • 3 correct binary-search traces
  • 5 runtime comparisons in plain language
  • 1 short note explaining why O(log n) and O(n) separate hard at scale

Lane 2: Data Shape and Lookup​

Use this lane when you know the words array, linked list, and hash table but still choose them loosely.

Target outcomes:

  • 5 scenario-to-structure choices with justification
  • 2 examples where arrays are the wrong choice
  • 2 examples where hash tables need a caveat about collisions or ordering

Lane 3: Recursion and Sorting​

Use this lane when you can follow examples but still cannot hand-trace them independently.

Target outcomes:

  • 3 recursive traces with explicit base and recursive cases
  • 2 selection-sort traces showing repeated scanning
  • 2 quicksort partition traces with labeled pivots and sub-arrays

Lane 4: Graph Thinking​

Use this lane when graph problems still feel abstract or when BFS steps blur together.

Target outcomes:

  • 3 small graphs drawn from real scenarios
  • 2 BFS traces with queue states
  • 1 dependency-order explanation in plain language

Completion Checklist​

  • Completed at least two exercise lanes in full
  • Logged at least 8 genuine mistakes and corrections
  • Produced at least 6 traces or diagrams, not just short answers
  • Reattempted at least 2 failed examples after review