An Investigation of Self-Organizing Binary Search Trees

Abstract

<p> This investigation examines several methods designed to minimize the computational cost of retrieving records from a binary search tree.</p> <p> No knowledge of the probabilities with which these records are requested is assumed. The aim of each method is to gradually restructure an initial, arbitrary (and perhaps costly) tree into one which has minimal search cost, on the basis of experience.</p> <p> While no one such 'self-organizing' method has yet received theoretical substantiation, it is hoped that this empirial investigation may assist in this endeavour.</p>