A quantum algorithm for this task treats its input as a vector in n-dimensional vector space and repeatedly reflects its state across the query input and the zero vector. This task is accomplished by creating a failure table and shift table to skip certain elements in the Boyer-Moore algorithm. The bitap algorithm approximates this task by taking the (*) Levenshtein distance as a parameter. Donald Knuth used automata theory to discover the first linear-time algorithm for one form of this task, the KMP algorithm. The UNIX tool grep, which performs this task, uses regular expressions to increase its efficiency. This task may be solved in log-n time on a sorted input with a namesake “binary” algorithm. For 10 points, what task is performed by “engines” like Bing? ■END■
ANSWER: searching [or pattern matching or string matching or string searching, accept binary search] (The quantum algorithm is Grover’s algorithm.)
<Science - Other Science>
= Average correct buzz position