1 / 12

Abstract Data Types (ADTs)

Abstract Data Types (ADTs). An ADT consists of: a set of values, and a set of operations on those values. Example: rational numbers some values: 15/7, -3/4, 123/1, 0/1 (but NOT 1/0 !) some operations: addition, multiplication, negation An ADT therefore specifies: what the members are, and

crescent
Download Presentation

Abstract Data Types (ADTs)

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Abstract Data Types (ADTs) • An ADT consists of: • a set of values, and • a set of operations on those values. • Example: rational numbers • some values: 15/7, -3/4, 123/1, 0/1 (but NOT 1/0 !) • some operations: addition, multiplication, negation • An ADT therefore specifies: • what the members are, and • what operations are supported.

  2. What an ADT isn’t: • An ADT does not specify: • how the data is stored/represented, or • how the operations are implemented. • These details are abstracted away. • An ADT is implementation independent • An ADT is language independent. • In Java, an ADT is typically specified in an interface.

  3. Data Structures (DS) • A data structure is an implementation of an ADT. • In Java, data structures are classes. • In the Java Collections framework, the List interface specifies an ADT that is implemented by several data structures: • ArrayList (an array-based structure) • LinkedList (a linked structure)

  4. Analogy #1:an ADT is like a vending machine • You can perform only the specific tasks that the machine's interface presents to you. • You must understand these tasks. E.g. you must know what to do to buy a beverage. • You cannot see or access the inside of the machine, because a steel shell encapsulates it. • You can use the machine even though you don't know what happens inside. • If someone replaced the machine's inner mechanism with an improved version, leaving the interface unchanged, you could still use the machine the same way.

  5. Analogy #2:an ADT is like a car • Basic interface is the same: • steering wheel to determine path • gearshift (on an automatic) to determine direction (drive/reverse) • pedals to determine speed (accelerator/brake) • Underlying implementation is irrelevant • steering: recirculating ball, rack & pinion • transmission: 3, 4 or 5 speed, CVT • engine: 4, 5, 6 or 8 cylinder, gas, diesel, CNG or hybrid • Client treats them all the same!

  6. What if the interface changes? • How easy is it for people to switch from driving an automatic to a manual transmission car? • Automatic: • gear selector: drive/reverse • pedals: accelerator, brake • Manual: • gear selector: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, R • pedals: accelerator, brake, clutch • Client needs to adjust to the new interface!

  7. With an ADT • The client can only perform the operations specific to the ADT. • The client must adhere to the specifications of the operations that the ADT provides. • Thus, client must understand how to use the operations.

  8. Interacting with a List (ADT) • The client cannot access the data within the list without using an ADT operation. The principle of encapsulation hides the data within the ADT. • The client can use the ADT, even though it can't access the data directly, and does not know how it is stored. • If you vary the implementation, but maintain the interface, the client isn’t affected and doesn’t have to care.

  9. Examples of ADTs • Bag – unordered collection, allowing duplicates • Set – unordered collection, no duplicates • List – ordered collection – client determines order • Sorted list – comparator determines ordering • Stack – Last-In First-Out (insert/remove from front) • Queue – First-In First-Out (insert back, remove front) • Tree – hierarchical organization • Binary Search Tree – comparator determines ordering • a simple BST makes no performance guarantees • more advanced BSTs can make performance guarantees • Dictionary – collection of key-value pairs • Graph – collection of vertices and arcs

  10. Creating an ADT To define an ADT, we • Describe its data • Specify the operations on that data • Focus on “what”, not “how”.

  11. Bag ADT • Values: object references (unordered). • We use the new Java 5 generics to define a parameterized type. • The type of the members of the ADT is specified by a type parameter in the definition of the interface.

  12. Bag Operations • Basic operations: • add (client has no control over placement; returns a boolean) • remove (based on object identity; returns a boolean) • contains (membership test; returns a boolean) • size (how many values are in a given bag)

More Related