Binary Search Using Recursion in C

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Binary search is one of the most efficient algorithms for searching a value in a sorted array. Unlike linear search, which traverses each element sequentially, binary search repeatedly divides the search space in half, making it much faster with a time complexity of O(log n). In this article, we’ll explore how to implement binary search using recursion in the C programming language.

What is Binary Search?

Binary search works on the divide-and-conquer principle. It splits the array into two halves, compares the target element with the middle element, and decides which half of the array to search next. The process continues recursively until the element is found or the search space is empty.

Key Points:

• Works only on sorted arrays: Binary search requires the array to be sorted in ascending or descending order.
• Faster than linear search: For an array of size n, binary search requires at most log2(n) comparisons.

Recursive Approach to Binary Search