Assignment

Due at the beginning of class on Friday, October 10

Download the two java programs found here and here.

They both solve the same problem: sorting a list of integers into ascending order using quicksort.  One does this in traditional fashion, without threads.  The other does it with two threads, by partitioning the original list into two parts according to the quicksort algorithm and then starting two separate separate threads to quicksort those two parts, respectively. 

Both programs request input from the user for the size of list to be sorted.  The list is then generated by a random number generator.  After that, the list is sorted and a timing value is printed.

Which program does the job faster?  Why?

For this assignment, you are to run both programs on increasingly larger list sizes, record the timing results, and graph the results (put both results on the same graph). You might need to get to quite large list sizes to begin to see a pattern. 

To Turn In

Turn in your graphs along with this information:

1. The number of cores on the computer you were using.
2. An explanation of why the graph looks the way it does.
3. What the operating system implications are with respect to threads.