(data structure)
Definition: A heap made of a forest of binomial trees with the heap property numbered k=0, 1, 2, ..., n, each containing either 0 or 2k nodes. Each tree is formed by linking two of its predecessors, by joining one at the root of the other. The operations of insert a value, decrease a value, delete a value, and merge or join (meld) two queues take O(log n) time. The find minimum operation is a constant Θ(1).
Generalization (I am a kind of ...)
heap.
Aggregate parent (I am a part of or used in ...)
priority queue, Dijkstra's algorithm.
Aggregate child (... is a part of or used in me.)
binomial tree.
See also Fibonacci heap.
Note: Binomial heaps are so called because the number of nodes at each level of each subtree is a binomial coefficient. Sometimes called a binomial queue. After LK.
Author: PEB
If you have suggestions, corrections, or comments, please get in touch with Paul E. Black.
Entry modified Mon Apr 25 10:11:18 2005.
HTML page formatted Wed Oct 26 09:47:15 2005.
Cite this as:
Paul E. Black, "binomial heap", from
Dictionary of Algorithms and Data
Structures, Paul E. Black, ed.,
NIST.
http://www.nist.gov/dads/HTML/binomialheap.html
