Level 3 · Advanced Data StructuresBUILD YOUR INTUITION
Binary Search Tree
Ordering applies to whole subtrees: every left descendant is smaller and every right descendant is greater under a strict-key policy.
THE MENTAL MODELWhen should this come to mind?
Ordering applies to whole subtrees: every left descendant is smaller and every right descendant is greater under a strict-key policy.
Ordered tree lookupValidate subtree orderingPredecessor or successor What makes it work
Propagate exclusive ancestor bounds or inspect inorder order. Define the duplicate-key policy explicitly.
When to choose something else
An arbitrary binary tree has no search ordering; a skewed BST does not guarantee logarithmic height.
See the pattern in action
Change the input. Follow the state. Make it yours.