Tree (data structure) facts for kids
.svg)
In computer science, a tree is a special way to organize information. Think of it like a family tree or the branches of a real tree. It helps computers keep track of data in a structured way.
Every tree has a starting point called the root. This is the very first item in the tree. Nothing else points back to the root.
Items in a tree can have "children" items connected below them. If an item has no children, it's called a leaf. Imagine the leaves at the end of a branch.
Trees are organized so you can't go in circles. This means you can always find your way from the root to any other item without repeating steps. Each item usually knows who its "parent" item is, which is the item directly above it.
The height of an item tells you how many steps it takes to get to the furthest leaf below it. The height of the root is the total height of the whole tree. The depth of an item tells you how many steps it is from the root to that item.
How Do Trees Work? (An Example)
Let's look at the picture to understand better:
- The item with the number 2 (in green) is the root of this tree. It's where everything starts.
- The item with the number 4 is a leaf. It has no children items below it.
- The depth of item 4 is 3. This means you take 3 steps to get from the root (2) to item 4.
- The total height of this tree is 3. This is because the longest path from the root (2) down to a leaf (like 4 or 5) takes 3 steps.
Different Kinds of Trees
There are many types of tree structures used in computer science. Each one is good for different tasks. Here are a few examples:
- Binary tree: A tree where each item can have at most two children.
- Heap (data structure): A special tree that helps find the smallest or largest item very quickly.
- Trie: A tree used for storing words and helping with quick searches, like in a dictionary.
See also
In Spanish: Árbol (informática) para niños
